


Supremacy

by bewdofchaos



Series: Equilibrium [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Humor, Banter, Denial, Denial of Feelings, Domestic Fluff, Drama & Romance, Duel Monsters, Duelling, Feels, Heartfelt Moments, I summon my blue eyes banter dragon, Innuendo, Kaiba Corp. strikes again, Kaiba Seto Has Issues, Multi, Post-Canon, Post-Ceremonial Duel, Puns & Word Play, Puzzleshipping, Query prideshipping, Relationship(s), Romance, Tournaments, no actually, what is going on with those two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 36,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23135239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bewdofchaos/pseuds/bewdofchaos
Summary: Post DSOD. Atem's resurrection has come to the attention of his greatest rival, Seto Kaiba. Now the affluent businessman is on a course to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his. However, Kaiba is not the only one who wants a piece of the once pharaoh, as another soul will stop at nothing to reign supreme. No one is safe.
Relationships: Atem & Kaiba Seto, Atem/Mutou Yuugi, Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kujaku Mai | Mai Valentine, Kaiba Seto & Mutou Yuugi, Kaiba Seto & Yami Yuugi, Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi
Series: Equilibrium [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662943
Comments: 40
Kudos: 40





	1. Spellbinding Circle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the characters. I just like writing them for fun!
> 
> Welcome to Supremacy! This is technically a sequel to my first multichapter, Madness (if you want to read it, it's on my profile), but this fic can also be enjoyed as a stand alone. The essential background information you need to know is that Atem is back and in his own body (and for that he owes Pegasus a favour), the SS Puzzleship has sailed and Seto Kaiba is still hell bent on beating the Pharaoh.
> 
> If you read Madness, you know I used it as a vehicle to explore Yugi's emotions post series/DSOD. Since that was a lot of fun for me to write, I thought that there is another character who would have some interesting emotions to explore post DSOD – Kaiba.
> 
> This chapter starts a bit fluffy, but gets heavier quick. Without further ado, I present to you: Supremacy.

Snowflakes drifted down gently from the night sky, falling upon the general populace that were braving the snow-covered streets. Winter had hit Domino city in full force this year. Snow was piled up several feet high on the sides of the streets, and many schools had been shut down for the day because of the heavy snowfall. The city had become the picture of a winter wonderland. Or at least, that's what some would call it. To Atem, the once Pharaoh of Egypt, this scene was nowhere close to a wonderland. Atem grumbled to himself under his breath as his leather boots crunched through the new layer of snow that was accumulating on the sidewalk. Snow was one thing he had never become accustomed to, even though he had shared a body with Yugi for several years back in the day. Yugi had tried to give him some exposure to winter activities back in the day, such as ice skating and snowball fights, but Atem had not found them nearly as enjoyable as Yugi did.

"Why does it have to be winter already?" Atem muttered disgruntledly under his breath. His breath caught as he nearly slipped on a patch of ice obscured by the ongoing snowfall. He clutched the jug of milk he had been sent to get in one mitt-clad hand, and a small bag of groceries in the other. Despite being a bit irritable due to the sub-zero temperatures, Atem found himself smiling and feeling a warmth spread through his chest as he thought about spending some quality time with his _Aibou_ this evening.

It had been just over a month since Atem had returned from the afterlife, and things were starting to settle into a comfortable rhythm. Yugi was back to working on his PhD at Domino University, and this last week had been putting in some serious overtime as he tried to wrap up a time sensitive part of his dissertation. Atem, in the meanwhile, was occupying his time by picking up shifts in the game shop and attending some evening classes at the university. However, Atem had other plans as to how he wanted to spend his time. He just needed to find the means to make it all come to fruition.

A thoroughly chilled Atem finally reached his destination, placing the milk down on the step momentarily as he dug out his key to the game shop. After tracking snow through the game shop, he unlocked the door at the back of the shop that lead to the private residence. As soon as the door opened, an excited voice called out to greet him.

"Finally! I thought I'd have to send a rescue party." Yugi called, rounding the top of the stairs.

"It was never this cold when we shared a body." Atem remarked, brushing snow off his coat before removing it. His cheeks were pink from the cold wind.

"That's because you refused to spend _any_ time outside during the winter when we shared a body." Yugi said as he tugged off the snow-covered toque Atem had been wearing, unleashing a sunburst of tricoloured hair. Yugi tossed his arms around Atem neck, pulling him in for a kiss. Yugi's warm lips and embrace made quick work of melting Atem's heart. When they pulled apart, Yugi's cheeks were the same shade of pink as Atem's.

"Come on upstairs, I've got a surprise for you." Yugi said coyly.

"A surprise?" Atem mirrored, as Yugi grabbed his hand, pulling him upstairs.

Yugi lead Atem into the family room, where he had dimmed the lights and piled up a duvet and several blankets on the couch. On the coffee table was an assortment of take out containers and movies.

"Since this is the first winter you'll be experiencing with your own body, I thought I'd show you some of my favourite things to do during the best season of the year." Yugi said with a grin, motioning for Atem to sit down on the couch. "One of the best parts of a snow day is that you get to spend it inside relaxing with your friends and family all swaddled in blankets."

Yugi grabbed the duvet and tossed it over Atem's lap. He then motioned for him to start divvying up the Thai food. Yugi went back to the kitchen and filled a pot on the stove with milk, cocoa and sugar.

"What are you doing over there?" Atem asked a few minutes later, his mouth full and his task complete. He had already started on his plate.

"Just making you one of the best wintertime drinks! Hot chocolate." Yugi said cheerfully, walking back into the family room with two mugs of steaming hot chocolate. Atem accepted his with a smile.

"I remember. You love this drink." Atem took a sip. He smiled up at his _Aibou._ "And apparently I do too."

Atem had found that when he had shared a body with Yugi, his tastes and preferences mirrored Yugi's perfectly. However, since getting his own body, Atem quickly realized that some things he once thought he liked he did not care for anymore, and vice versa. For example, he took his coffee differently than Yugi – black, as opposed to the double-double Yugi preferred. This discovery had resulted in a massive and often hilarious culinary expedition as Atem rediscovered this part of himself. Joey had been especially incensed to realize that Atem had not liked Brooklyn-style pizza more than the usual cardboard box delivery kind. Atem also realized he hated fish, much to the chagrin of his sushi-loving friends. Thankfully, hot chocolate was a new shared favourite between the two tricolour haired men.

"Awesome. I'm glad you like it!" Yugi sat down beside Atem. He turned on a movie, threw the comforter over his own legs and grabbed his plate of food. Slowly becoming one with the plush duvet, they snuggled up together and finished their dinner and hot chocolate. Some time later, the movie reached its end. Yugi had dozed off halfway through the movie while resting his head on Atem's shoulder as his busy week finally caught up to him. As the credits rolled, Atem's mind started to wander.

_It's surprising that I haven't heard from Pegasus yet. I was sure he would have tried to redeem the favour I owe him. Or Kaiba for that matter. How has Mokuba not told him yet?_

Atem sighed as he shifted himself, resting his cheek against Yugi's erratic hair. Just as he felt himself starting to drift off to sleep, he heard Yugi mumble something.

"Yugi?"

"I said 'stop being such a blanket hog, Atem.'" Yugi said into Atem's shirt, tugging the duvet back in his direction to cover himself completely. Atem shot him a playful look in response.

Yugi sat upright to look at Atem, whose eyes began to look pensive again.

"What are you thinking about, partner?" Yugi asked.

"Kaiba."

"What, am I not enough for you?" Yugi feigned hurt, pouting. Atem snorted in response and pulled Yugi back in against his chest.

"You've got everything I could ever want and more, _Aibou._ " Atem said lovingly. Yugi chuckled sheepishly and buried his face deeper into Atem's shirt to hide his oncoming blush.

After a few moments revelling in his love's embrace, Yugi sat up and shrugged slightly. "I honestly would have expected Kaiba to have broken down our door by now in order to challenge you to a duel. I wonder what's the hold up."

"My thoughts exactly. And Pegasus has not tried to collect his favour from me."

"Oh, about that. He sent me an email yesterday. He's cashing in on that favour." Yugi said. He pulled out his phone to show Atem the email. It contained a short message and an over-the-top poster advertising the next Industrial Illusions Elite Tournament.

/

Yugi-boy!

You and the Pharaoh are cordially invited to participate in Industrial Illusion's latest and greatest Elite Duel Monsters Tournament: Starlight Showdown. I have hand picked some of the top ranking duelists from around the world to participate in this spectacle that is sure to go down in the history books! Prepare your decks, gentlemen!

Oh, and by "cordially invited", I mean required. Tell the Pharaoh the time has come for him to pay up. And this will not be the only thing I will be requiring him to do as part of his tournament duties.

Warm regards,

Maximillian Pegasus

President, Industrial Illusions

/

"Well, at least it's not an unreasonable request." Atem remarked.

"'Not unreasonable'? What I'm concerned about is your 'tournament duties'. I hope it's nothing to… off-colour. You never know with Pegasus." Yugi said uneasily.

"We can handle him. And besides, he's not the one I'm concerned about." Atem responded reflectively.

Ever since their brush with Seto Kaiba's progeny from the future, Atem had found himself wondering about the role he plays in the arrogant billionaire's life. Back in the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City days, Kaiba was just a rival. An arrogant but ultimately benign rival. However, after seeing him appear in the afterlife, in a crazed state, risking everything in order to challenge Atem for a title once again (one which Yugi technically holds), Atem was not so sure that he was just a benign rival. The consequences of the afterlife duel were also more pervasive than Atem could have ever imagined. Guilt had started eating away at Atem, as he worried that he should have done something differently in order to help stop this deranged form of Kaiba from ever being created.

_Should I have just simply lost to him those years back? But that would have had repercussions for all of humanity…_

Atem's train of thought was derailed when he felt Yugi open their mind link which, despite their separate bodies, remained in a transient form which could be opened and closed easily at either side's behest.

 _I've said this before and I will say it again. It's not your fault. You are not Kaiba's keeper. He made his own decisions and although there were unfortunate consequences, you can't hold yourself accountable for this._ Yugi said through the link.

"I know, Yugi." Atem responded aloud, reaching out to give Yugi's hand a squeeze. "But ultimately, I think I need to pay him a visit soon."

"Well, if you need me there when you do, just ask." Yugi offered.

"I'd like that, _Aibou._ " Atem responded affectionately. "I must say though, I'm looking forward to this tournament."

"Me too. I'm looking forward to kicking your ass again." Yugi said teasingly.

"Hah! I will have you know, I've won all of our duels since I came back."

"Ah, but you see, I let you win. You get kind of angsty when you lose." Yugi chuckled, giving Atem a playful shove.

"Oh? Is this so?" Atem feigned hurt, but the amused twinkle in his eye gave him away.

"Now before we fall asleep on this couch again, I think its time to go to bed." Yugi said with a smile. Atem obliged.

* * *

Across the city that same evening, a man sat alone in his spacious office towering over Domino City. The light from the multiple computer screens highlighted his angular features in a pale blue hue. He continued to type up his briefing, only stopping to occasionally take a sip of his scotch – neat, no ice. Sales were down, and there needed to be something done about it. The simulations he had run were not overly helpful. He had a few ideas, but they would not fix the larger problem.

Seto Kaiba sighed in frustration and stood up abruptly. He snatched up his tumbler and walked over to look at the city lights through his floor-to-ceiling window.

_There's got to be a solution. The theme parks and Duelist Academy have been profitable, but duel disk sales are down. Maybe a new, more portable model with improved holographics…_

Kaiba's eyes drifted up towards the night sky. Despite the light coming from the buildings below, a few stars managed to pierce through the haze to shine down upon the city.

 _Maybe I should try again._ Kaiba thought. _Although the interdimensional transporter burst into flames mere minutes after I came back from the afterlife, I can still fix it. It will just require some resources. And maybe it will be different this time. It has been years since…_

Kaiba recalled his trip to the afterlife. The adrenaline and fear pumping through his veins as the machine sent him to a different dimension. By some scientific miracle, he had found himself standing in an Egyptian palace staring down the gold-clad, regal asshole he had spent years trying to best.

"Kaiba?" Atem uttered, his voice a mixture of confused and impressed. Those crimson eyes bore directly into his soul, as they had many times back in the day. Kaiba felt momentarily vulnerable, as only staring into the Pharaoh's eyes could make him feel. Vulnerable… and inferior? Narrowing his eyes, Kaiba quickly pushed aside those bothersome emotions to replace them with a deep-seated determination.

"I am here for a rematch, Pharaoh!" Kaiba had called, his voice as powerful and commanding as a king. And a rematch he was given. Despite the countless simulations Kaiba had run, and his perfectly tailored deck, he found himself in the impossible situation of staring down the Dark Magician again, defenseless. As his last few life points dwindled to zero, another crack was created in Kaiba's soul.

Kaiba dropped to one knee, panting and clutching his chest. Atem walked over quietly to stand in front of his rival.

"Stand up, Kaiba."

Kaiba stood up, glaring.

"I see you still haven't learned your lesson. Do not come back to challenge me again until you do." Atem had said.

"My lesson?"

"You know. I have repeated it many times over the years. Now, go home Kaiba. It's not safe for a soul still tethered to a living body to stay in the afterlife for long."

Atem moved to walk away, but he turned back around to add one more thing. His eyes had gone noticeably softer and sadder. "And please, pass onto Yugi… nevermind."

Kaiba angrily punched a few buttons on his wrist, causing his soul to be pulled back into the wormhole he had established with the interdimensional transporter. After a nauseating, vertiginous second, he found himself back in his body and seated in the shuttle.

The phone shrilled, breaking Kaiba out of his memory. Kaiba became aware of something dripping down his hand. Looking down, he noticed shattered glass scattered on the floor. Scotch was dripping down his hand, mixing with fresh blood from a laceration. Mildly annoyed, he pulled out the pocket square from his suit, and wrapped his hand in it. With his other hand, he roughly grabbed the receiver.

"Kaiba."

"Hey big bro!"

"What have you got for me?" Kaiba deadpanned.

"Glad to hear from you too. I just got back from the research trip, and have I ever got some interesting ideas for the theme parks!"

"Let's do this later, Mokuba. I have other things I need to work on right now."

"Profitable stuff? Or are you trying to fix that interdimensional transporter again? You know, the afterlife machine? Oh, actually, that reminds me. There is something you need to know."

"What is it?" Kaiba snapped, his patience for his brother's tangents wearing thin.

"Uh, I don't know if I should really be the one to tell you this, but hey, I kept up my end of the deal. They can't be mad. Seto, the Pharaoh's back."

Kaiba's heart stopped and his eyes went wide. Kaiba gripped the phone tightly as his pulse quickened. He could hardly believe what his brother had just said.

_The Pharaoh is back?_

A whole host of emotions flooded Kaiba's usually cool, calculating mind. He raged internally that Mokuba had not spoken to him sooner. He found it infuriating when he was left in the dark, especially when it came to matters as important as this. Next was a wave of impatience. He nearly hung up the phone in that instant to start hunting down his rival this very moment, without hesitation. This impulse was quickly overcome by Kaiba's rationality, as acquiring more information from his brother would surely be of benefit. However, the dominant emotion the often stoic man was experiencing was a deep seated excitement. An anticipation and thrill he had not experienced in years. Fighting the adrenaline pumping though his veins, Kaiba composed himself and furthered his line of questioning.

"Where is he?"

"That's a bit unclear. When I ran into him, he was with Yugi –"

"You saw him?"

"Yeah, more of him than I would have liked." Mokuba said dryly.

Kaiba ignored this vague comment, instead favouring to continue his interrogation. "Where?"

"KC HQ. I think they were heading back to the Muto's game –"

"Alright." Kaiba interjected curtly. He had heard enough. He moved to hang up the receiver.

"Big brother! What are you doing?"

"It's time to pay the Pharaoh a visit. It's been too long." Kaiba responded, blue eyes gleaming. He was unable to keep his building excitement out of his usual deadpan voice.

"It's nearly midnight!" Mokuba interjected.

"It's early enough. Goodbye Mokuba." Kaiba hung up. He toyed with the cloth wrapped around his hand as he walked towards the window again. All of these years spent preparing, researching and trying to find and manipulate the Pharaoh's few weak spots though his simulations may finally pay out in dividends. He did not even have to dip into his profit margins again in order to make another trip to the afterlife. _The Pharaoh came to me._ A sly smile crept up on Kaiba's face. A deep chuckle reverberated though his chest as he spun on his heel to walk over to the closet. He grabbed his usual dueling jacket, his steel briefcase containing his cards and made haste towards the parking garage.

* * *

Bang. Bangbangbangbang. Atem bolted upright in bed, heart hammering, flinging Yugi's arm off his chest as the intrusive sounds rang through the residence.

"W-whaaat?" Yugi stuttered, partly in confusion, partly in terror.

"I think someone's breaking in. Stay here." Atem quickly threw off the covers, pulled on his boxer briefs and silently walked towards the hallway.

"Atem! What are you doing?" Yugi hissed, getting up to follow. Atem waved him off.

"Quiet." Atem hissed in return. He made his move towards the hallway.

Bangbangbangbang.

Yugi quickly grabbed the broom that was in the hallway closet, brandishing it in front of him. The two men made their way down the stairs and into the shop.

Bangbangbangbang. "I know you're in there!" A muffled voice called. A tall, dark figure was silhouetted against the glass door, fist roused to knock again.

Taking a deep breath, Atem opened the door. He could not believe his eyes. Not one foot in front of him stood the man that had singlehandedly caused the vast majority of Atem's headaches all of those years ago. Piercing, arrogant blue eyes met his, gleaming in the streetlights.

On the other side of the stare, Seto Kaiba was experiencing another onslaught of complex emotions upon seeing the face of his rival glaring from within the cracked open doorway. Satisfaction, excitement and disbelief ran supreme in that moment. Kaiba had often fantasized about what he would say to the once Pharaoh should they meet again. He had recited his speeches and visualized how the conversation would go. But now, in this moment, faced with the almost near impossibility of his wish come true, he was at a loss for words. Which did not happen often to the outspoken and opinionated Seto Kaiba. The crimson eyes in front of him seemed to bore directly into his soul, making Kaiba feel oddly vulnerable. Kaiba broke eye contact, surveying the rest of the scene in front of him. To his chagrin, his mouth had impulsively found a way to ruin this historic moment Kaiba had dreamed of.

"Nice shorts." Kaiba chided, referencing Atem's distinct lack of clothing. "Were you really going to face a potential burglar in just your underwear?"

Atem's eyes narrowed, his glare intensifying. "Kaiba." He sighed impatiently, not unlike a parent chastising a child who had once again chosen to break the rules despite their better judgement.

"You really are back." Kaiba remarked. His smug gaze flitted towards another erratic head of tricoloured hair that had popped into view behind Atem.

"What is – Oh, it's just Kaiba." Yugi said flatly, quickly becoming disinterested in the situation.

"Wait. You have separate bodies?" Kaiba asked, mildly stunned.

"Yup." Yugi slid beside Atem to further address Kaiba, his tone curt. "What are you thinking, showing up like this? Do you know what time it is?"

"I heard from Mokuba that the Pharaoh had returned. I needed to see it for myself."

"Well, now you have…" Atem snipped, looking as if he was developing a migraine just by looking at Kaiba.

"… are you happy? Can we please continue this at a more reasonable hour?" Yugi finished his partner's thought, punctuating his question with a raised an eyebrow.

"Pharaoh, I –" Kaiba started. Atem boldly raised a hand to quiet the billionaire.

"No." Atem stated forcefully, as if he was ordering an overly excited puppy to sit. Kaiba's mouth closed with a snap.

"Not here or now, Kaiba. But I know what you want. You want a rematch." Atem said simply, his eyes not leaving Kaiba's.

"I've been waiting years for this, Pharaoh. I will finally prove to the world that I deserve to be called the greatest duelist of all time." Kaiba said haughtily. He raised his arm, of which bore the newest Kaiba Corp. prototype duel disk. "And there's no time like the present."

Atem took a step forward and placed a hand on Kaiba's forearm, pushing the man's arm back to his side.

"Did you have a chance to think about what I said after our duel in the afterlife?" Atem asked, his eyes dark.

"I don't know what you are taking about." Kaiba retorted, eyes narrowing.

"I suspect you still haven't learned your lesson."

"Why must you be so cryptic? After our duel, I continued to do my research in order to perfect my strategies. I will easily beat you now, Pharaoh. I hope you're ready for defeat." Kaiba proclaimed.

Atem shook his head. "Well, futile cause or not, I will not battle you here in the street in the middle of the night."

"Futile? What are you implying?" Kaiba growled.

Atem chose to ignore this line of questioning, because if he responded, he'd be stuck battling Kaiba's ego all night. So instead, Atem changed his approach. He knew that getting Kaiba to drop this matter tonight and leave it for another time would be difficult. It would take some tact to get this arrogant billionaire off of their doorstep. Thankfully, Atem knew of a few buttons he could press to hopefully get this dog with a bone to heel.

"I am returning to the dueling scene by… entering into one of the Industrial Illusions Elite Tournaments. How about we raise the stakes and make this rematch one for the record books? If you enter this tournament, you can have your rematch in front of the whole world, which will serve as a permanent record should you beat me. In addition, I'm sure having the president of Kaiba Corp. enter into a prestigious tournament to duel his historic rival would be good for your bottom line." Atem propositioned.

"A tournament…" Kaiba repeated, his eyes lighting up almost manically. "A tournament…"

"Did you not hear what I just said? We will discuss this further tomorrow. Good night, Kaiba." Atem moved to close the door, but it was obstructed by a swiftly introduced boot.

"I look forward to our rematch, Pharaoh."

Kaiba could swear that through the haze of annoyance, he could see a glimmer of excitement and anticipation flash through the crimson eyes in front of him. Kaiba's heart skipped a beat.

"Good night, Kaiba." Atem's bare foot nudged Kaiba's boot out of the doorway before closing the door. Atem spun around to address Yugi, leaning tiredly against the door.

"Well, he certainly has not changed one bit." Atem remarked, a small smile on his face.

"You've got that right, partner." Yugi chuckled. "He's just as dogged as ever."

Tossing his arm over his _Aibou's_ shoulder with a yawn, Atem led Yugi back upstairs.

* * *

The next morning, Atem found Yugi in the kitchen on his laptop getting some early morning research done. Atem dozily kissed the top of Yugi's head, which elicited a preoccupied, yet affectionate mumble from Yugi as he was concentrating on his dissertation work. Atem grabbed himself a mug and the half-full coffee pot and brought them to the table, topping up Yugi's coffee before pouring his own.

After a few minutes of browsing the news on his brand-new smartphone, Atem stopped his scrolling hastily. He could not believe his eyes at the headline in front of him.

**Yugi Muto Returns! Domino to host joint Kaiba Corp and Industrial Illusions mega tournament! STARLIGHT SHOWDOWN!**

Somewhat preoccupied by the spectacle on his screen, Atem tugged at Yugi's shirtsleeve to get his partner's attention. Yugi leaned over to look at the phone. Embedded within the article was a video of an over the top Kaiba announcing his newest tournament.

"Welcome to the biggest thing since Battle City! Kaiba Corp., in conjunction with Industrial Illusions, is proud to present Starlight Showdown! We are inviting some of the biggest names in duel monsters from around the world to participate in the highest stakes, battle royale, crown jewel cup in all of Duel Monsters history! And for this very special tournament, several duelists have come out of retirement to once again grace the stage!"

With a dramatic voice over calling out names, several faces flashed across the screen. Kaiba then reappeared, chest puffed out and eyes sparkling in the studio lights.

"I am pleased to announce that two legendary duelists, Yugi Muto and the Nameless Pharaoh, will be participating! And finally, I will be personally be entering into this tournament in order to end their supremacy!" Kaiba crowed, pumping a fist in the air. He then turned to point at the screen with a well-practiced flair. "Be ready, as history will be made right here in the Kaiba Dome in Domino City!"

"Oh Ra, you've created a monster. You should have never told him about that tournament. He even somehow snagged it from Industrial Illusions overnight and made it his own." Yugi said with a chuckle.

"Well, this is Kaiba. He would have figured this all out one way or another."

Yugi smiled at Atem, unable to keep his excitement hidden. "This should be fun."

Atem smiled back. "I think it will be much more than that." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've got a moment, please leave a comment. Good, bad or otherwise, I always love getting some feedback from you guys!
> 
> Next chapter is the start of the KC/II mega tourney, and ohhhhh boy, do I ever have some drama set up for you. Also, my Canadian-ness showed in this chapter. Toques. Double-doubles. Sorry. (A double-double coffee is two cream, two sugar for the uninitiated)


	2. Ring of Destruction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I hope you brought your duel disks, 'cause today marks the first day of the KC mega tournament, and things get a bit… interesting to say the least. I hope you enjoy!

Towering overhead stood the legendary Blue Eyes White Dragon, its eyes soulless, teeth bared and covered in white snow-like scales. Well, the gigantic stadium that resembled a Blue Eyes, that is.

It was the first evening of the largest tournament to be held at the Kaiba Dome in years. Lights flashed and music boomed creating an electrified atmosphere that could be felt from blocks away. Despite being announced only a week prior, tickets for all nights of the tournament sold out quickly as people flocked from far and wide to catch some of the best duelists, past and present, duke it out for a prestigious title and a lucrative cash prize. Yugi, Atem, Joey and Mai had just exited Mai's car and were standing beneath the streetlights watching what seemed like the better part of the city stream into the stadium. They were waiting for the other half of their group to show up before making their way into the 'dome.

"Would you look at dat!" Joey hollered upon seeing the crowds, stars in his eyes. "Dis is gonna be amazing! I haven't duelled in front of such a big crowd in ages!"

"Well, you're lucky you're even able to duel here at all. It took Pharaoh boy over here to twist Kaiba's arm to get you a spot in the tournament." Mai remarked.

"Ahhh, dat Kaiba! I never get no respect from him! Even after all of the tourneys I've won, he still doesn't invite me?" Joey huffed, shaking his fist at the stadium a few blocks away. "Well, I'm comin for ya, money bags! You hear me!?"

Yugi chuckled, placing a hand on the Joey's shoulder. "Hey, you might want to save some of that fire for your duel tonight!"

As Joey continued to pump his fists at the Kaiba Dome looming in the distance, Yugi turned a careful eye towards Atem. Atem had not spoken a word since they had left the game shop earlier this evening. He wasn't one to get nervous or spooked, but Atem looked mildly uncomfortable and wary.

"Atem?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright? You look… off."

"Something doesn't feel right about this." Atem responded quietly, shoving his bare hands into his pockets to try to fend off the cold.

"How so?"

"I feel like whenever we enter a tournament, things always seem to devolve. I suppose I'm just a little on edge about that." Atem said slowly as if he was thinking hard, his eyes drifting towards the sky.

Yugi regarded his partner for a moment. The harsh streetlight overhead highlighted the sharp angles of Atem's face perfectly, giving him a stark and regal appearance. Many people would have been slightly intimidated at the sight, but Yugi could never be. He looped his arm into Atem's and gave him a gentle nudge.

"Well, here's hoping all of that madness is behind us. And if something does happen, well, we can stop it together. Just like we've done in the past." Yugi said, hoping his projected confidence would ease his other self. Although on the inside, Yugi could not help but start to feel some of the apprehension Atem was feeling. Having himself, Atem and Kaiba all in the same place for too long always seemed to lead to a catastrophe.

"Hey guys! Sorry it took forever to find parking!" Tristan called out from a few feet away as he briskly walked to where they were standing. Running behind him trying to catch up were Serenity, Bakura and Duke Devlin.

They said their hellos then started making their way towards the Kaiba Dome. They had been instructed to use one of the side entrances to avoid the crowds and throngs of people who were vying for autographs. Atem remained in contemplative silence the entire walk, his mind still on the tournaments of days gone by.

* * *

Deep within the heart of the Kaiba Dome, Seto Kaiba surveyed the masses from the central security control room. Dressed in a smart navy suit and tie, Kaiba felt just as powerful as his power suit watching the various entrances on security camera. The tournament had sold out in record time, but he would not let himself truly savour this victory until he had succeeded in what he had came here to achieve.

After at least half an hour of watching the faceless masses stream in, something more interesting appeared on one of the screens. _Finally._ Kaiba thought to himself, pleased at seeing a man with very characteristic hair enter though door 8. Of course, he was accompanied by the full herd of other losers he chose to associate with, including that stupid mutt, Joey Wheeler. Kaiba huffed to himself, turning away from the screens. Sure, he had been successful on the pro circuit the last few years, but Joey Wheeler is still and will forever be a third rate duelist with a fourth rate deck.

 _Why did I cave when Atem insisted on Joey being included?_ Kaiba rolled his eyes. He then returned his focus on the screen where the nerd herd was still visible. They had started joking around and were laughing at some unheard joke. Kaiba noticed that Atem's face had noticeably softened since he had entered the building, and was currently smiling in amusement at a story Joey was enthusiastically telling. Kaiba felt a small smile pulling at his own lips, and upon realizing his reaction, he swiftly turned on his heel and walked out of the security center.

"Hmph. Damn mind games." Kaiba muttered, grabbing his headset from his desk and stalking off towards the backstage.

"So dere I am, a corn dog in one hand, my deck in da other, and Mai's all like 'how could you forget about our semi-final match?'" Joey wheezed as he doubled over in laughter at his own story.

Yugi was in stitches, enjoying Joey's retelling of a one of his tournament mishaps. Atem was trying his best to maintain his composure but he couldn't fend off the smile tugging at his lips and was shuddering slightly as silent laughs wracked his body. Mai just looked unimpressed.

"This goof left me up on that stage to win by default. All because of food. You're lucky that you're cute." Mai responded, her words a bit harsh but her tone soft.

"Love ya too, honey." Joey grinned.

At that moment, a voice rang out overhead calling all duelists to go to the backstage holding area.

"Well, that's our cue!" Yugi said looking at Atem, who had relaxed noticeably since they had entered the building and seemed to be back to his usual self. Yugi's heart did a little flip of excitement when those ruby eyes met his. This was the first time since the ceremonial duel that they would potentially face each other in an all-out, no holds barred duel. He was very excited to show Atem the duelist he had become. Although arguably the greatest duel of his life, every time Yugi started to recall the ceremonial duel, he felt his heart twist and ache. He would never forget that fateful day, when destiny had caused them to separate. Those subsequent years had been difficult, but Atem was able to come back. Even though Atem had been back for a while now, Yugi would often have to pinch himself. Somehow, this was all indeed real and he had gotten back the most important person in his life for good. Yugi naturally found his mind wandering towards the ceremonial duel. He recalled the Egyptian Gods falling at his own hand, and the sequence of events that resulted, falling into place like dominoes guided by the hands of fate.

Atem noticed Yugi's generally clear and kind eyes become turbulent, causing his own heart to ache. He didn't even need to open the mind link to know what his a _ibou_ was thinking about. He did decide to open up the link for another reason, though.

Yugi had just started recalling some of the last moves of that duel, which had arguably been the hardest moves he had ever had to make when he felt the link open. A comforting warmth spread from the other side to envelop his consciousness, filling every nook and crevice of his mind with a calming presence. Yugi found himself closing his eyes, his tension dissolving.

 _I'm sorry._ Atem said though the link. His words were accompanied by many emotions that words would not do justice trying to convey.

 _It was not your fault. But thank you, partner. I love you too._ Yugi responded, warmth spreading in kind from his side. _But don't you go thinking that this means I'm going to go easy on you._

 _I see, King of Games. I look forward to taking you down._ Atem's chuckle reverberated though Yugi's mind, his tone teasing yet fond. Before Yugi had a chance to escalate the smack-talking, he was brought back to reality.

"Are you two done yet? We don't wanna leave Kaiba waitin'. Da guy will have a conniption if you two cash cows don't show up on time!" Joey called. He and Mai were already halfway down the hallway.

* * *

Once backstage in the holding area, the duelists were lined up and forced to wait quietly. Yugi and Atem were ushered to the back to the line. A few minutes later, the ambient music shifted, taking on a dramatic tone. In the distance, the crowd started to cheer. As the music reached its crescendo, the lights started to flash and dance. The show was starting. On the TV screens in front of them, they witnessed Kaiba make a dramatic entrance from the roof, flying through the air with the greatest of ease held up by a set of acrobatic wires. When he finally touched down, his arrival was greeted by a bunch of white flares and pyrotechnics. After striking a powerful, triumphant pose and holding it for at least 5 seconds, Seto Kaiba relaxed and waited for Pegasus to walk out and join him on the stage.

"Typical Kaiba." Yugi whispered to Atem.

"What did you expect? I actually thought that entrance was a bit subdued." Atem quipped, causing Yugi to snicker. The nearby security guards shot both tricolour haired men a cautionary look.

"WELCOME TO STARLIGHT SHOWDOWN!" Kaiba boomed, punctuating the line with an arrogant laugh as the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. "I hope you are ready because Kaiba Corp., in conjunction with Industrial Illusions, have brought to you the highest tier of duelling for your viewing pleasure. This is the tournament everyone will be talking about for years to come! We have a star-studded line up, filled with the greatest duelists from today's pro circuit and some of the best of all time!"

"Glory and bragging rights are on the line! In a few days from now, will crown a new King of Games!" Pegasus delivered, a little less enthusiastically than the billionaire beside him.

"And don't forget the prize money, for the winner will leave with $10 million dollars! This is the largest prize ever given out at any one tournament!" Kaiba crowed, riling up the crowd.

"Now, without any more delay, it's time to meet our 64 contestants." Pegasus said, his voice getting flatter by the second.

Security started ushering the waiting duelists onto the stage one by one as their names were announced and their faces flashed on the jumbotrons. Near constant applause as fan favourites and feared duelists were announced. Yugi hollered loudly from backstage as Joey's made his entrance. The crowd worked itself into the frenzy as the most recent continental winners were announced.

The music faded out for a low, enthralling bass beat that seemed to shake the stadium. The lights dimmed and crowd hushed.

"And now, for the moment you have all waited for. These two men do not need an introduction." Kaiba started, his eyes gleaming. "They are two of the most prolific duelists to ever walk this Earth. Yes and no. North and south. _Hikari_ and _Yami._ Don't let your eyes deceive you, the stories are true. The original King of Games is here to play. YUGI MUTO!"

A spotlight pointed directly at Yugi, his eyes smarting in the blinding light. Despite the assault on his senses, Yugi stood tall, face determined. The crowd blew up, causing a slight embarrassed blush to creep up onto Yugi's face. He still often found the amount of attention he seemed to attract in public humbling.

"And now, the man we once referred to as the Nameless Pharaoh. The other man to hold the original title of King of Games. ATEM!"

A few feet away Yugi saw a spotlight focus on Atem. He stood stoically, arms casually crossed with his crimson irises burning with determination from within his freshly kohl rimmed eyes. Gasps and cries rang out as the crowd took in the scene.

Many years ago, Yugi had decided that the world ought to know about his other self, who had been with him through those four intense and public years of his life. After initially being met with some scrutiny and skepticism, video evidence of Atem's brief appearance in the Kaiba Dome those years ago surfaced and convinced the populace that Yugi's version of the events were true. Yugi remembered getting off the floor to see Atem bathed in golden light standing in front of him, a small smile on Atem's face and a certain fondness in his eyes. Then he had faded away as quickly as he came. Afterwards, Yugi spread the story of the Nameless Pharaoh as his way to give Atem the thanks he deserved. He never wanted the world to forget the brave, Nameless Pharaoh and all he had done, no matter how much it hurt him to discuss his absent other self. Now the world was getting their second glimpse of the once Pharaoh, standing on his own in all of his golden, regal glory.

Instead of adopting Yugi's usual duelling uniform of a dark blue coat, black sleeveless top and leather accessories, Atem had chosen to put his own spin on their uniform. His dark blue jacket bore gold trim, and he had opted for a white shirt with golden accessories. Some things never change though, as both men had independently decided on wearing their leather pants. Across the stage, Yugi was taken aback at the ethereal appearance of his partner. His breath caught in his throat as his heart swelled. Sensing Yugi's stare, Atem turned his own gaze upon his _aibou._ That same small smile and fondness once again graced Atem's features as they had in that stadium all of those years ago, causing Yugi's heart to skip a beat. Atem's smile widened upon seeing Yugi's transfixed and enamored stare, and shot him a knowing wink. Yugi was now certain that his blush was visible despite the harsh, white spotlight. Composing himself, Yugi smiled genially back.

Despite Kaiba trying to get the crowd's attention back onto him, the defiant crowd kept on cheering for the two tricolour haired men on stage. "MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!" Kaiba finally yelled into the microphone, his voice giving away his irritation. The crowd got noticeably quieter. "And last but not least, I will be coming out of retirement to enter into this tournament! Because these two—" Kaiba pointed at Yugi and Atem "—have something I want. I am taking back my title back. I hope you have your decks ready!" The crowd erupted again, clearly living for this declared grudge match.

 _Does this mean he now respects that you actually have the title?_ Atem asked through the link, mildly surprised.

 _Only in public, Atem._ Yugi responded. _We both know he's coming for you and you alone._

"And now, I am pleased to say that the Starlight Showdown tournament has officially begun! The match-ups will now be displayed on the jumbotrons above you!" Kaiba boomed.

A bracket was displayed and names were shuffled. This would be a sudden death 64-person tournament. Kaiba was not messing around and he did not grant any of the duelists the mercy of a round robin. Sure enough, Yugi and Atem were sorted into opposite sides of the bracket. They would only face each other if they both managed to make it to the finals. Yugi hummed, looking for Joey's, Mai's and most importantly, Kaiba's names. Joey and Mai would start on the side he was on. Kaiba had been sorted on Atem's side. Yugi glanced over at Kaiba, who looked mildly displeased at the random assortment. He clearly wanted to face Atem in the finals, but the bracket was not organized in his favour.

"Alright! The first match between Mac "the Attack" O'Reagan and Adam "the first" Harrison will start in five minutes! GET YOUR DECKS READY, GENTLEMEN!" The music boomed once again to signal the end of the opening remarks, and the lights returned to normal.

Yugi let out the breath he realized he had been holding, and turned to his partner. Atem also seemed to noticeably relax as he closed the gap between them. Atem's eyes were still sparking with excitement and anticipation.

"Well, I guess I will just have to see you in the finals, _aibou._ " Atem said, unable to hide his excitement.

"I'm looking forward to it! It also looks like you'll get that rematch with Kaiba."

"Good, maybe this will give him the closure that he needs."

As Atem and Yugi started to make their way off the stage, the entire stadium was suddenly concealed in an inky darkness before the emergency lighting kicked in. The two Pharaohs stopped in their tracks, their excited smiles fading quickly.

"Maybe it was a power outage from the snowstorm?" Yugi postulated. Atem just hummed absentmindedly in response as a chill ran down his spine. Something just didn't feel right. The emergency lights flickered briefly, thrusting the packed stadium into an uneasy state as people were starting to get out of their seats. A harsh, grating noise sounded causing many to gasp, then the jumbotron illuminated once again. Displayed on the large screens was a flickering golden object that the two halves recognized instantly.

"What…" Yugi uttered, his brow knitting in concern. Without a word, Atem started swiftly making his way back to the center of the stage, spurring Yugi to follow at a jog. Kaiba, who had been on his cellphone talking with operations about sorting the technical difficulties noticed the two tricoloured haired men moving out of the corner of his eye and started to follow.

The horrendous noise stopped and the millennium ring that had been displayed on the screen vanished. It was replaced by the face of a young woman.

"Welcome one and all to the next installment of the Kaiba Corp. Ego Circus Tour!" The woman sneered, her features partially silhouetted by oblique lighting. Her bobbed brown hair bounced with every emphatically said word that came from her mouth. "I do hope you've enjoyed the program so far. The Kaibas do know how to put on quite the show!"

The colour drained from Yugi's face as he stared at the face on the screen. He opened the link. _What in the actual hell. Is that… Tea?_

Yugi could feel Atem's fury building, red hot and searing through the link as he too recognized the face and voice. Yugi could also sense a slight undertone of guilt. He knew that Atem had been harbouring some guilt regarding Tea's current situation, and seeing Tea being used as a puppet for some ancient psychopath was not an easy sight for Atem.

"Since you all know about the Nameless Pharaoh, I will spare you the tale and get right down to business. Now _pharaoh._ " Tea's face came into full illumination, her usually kind eyes were crazed and possessed. "Kaiba is not the only one with a score left to settle. Although the banishment of Zorc was a setback, thankfully, there's always a bit of me hidden away somewhere. Now that I'm finally back to full strength, I was finally able to possess your little friend here." Tea raised her hand to caress her own contorted face in a mocking fashion.

"What the hell is going on?" Kaiba hissed. Atem and Yugi ignored him.

"Yugi, what happened to the millennium ring?" Atem asked slowly, his calculating stare not leaving the screen.

"It had fused with Diva's cube, I think, and Kaiba had both of them last I recall _._ "

"Now that I've got this _lovely_ host, we can finally have our rematch too, oh _Pharaoh."_ Yami Tea taunted.

"Let her go, Bakura." Atem growled, his voice projecting despite the large stadium. "She does not need to be a part of this."

" _Au contraire._ I think she has every right to be a part of this. You know, seeing as how you tore her life apart." Yami Tea smiled knowingly. "It's about time she gets her revenge for what you stole from her."

Atem's eyes went wide and his mouth fell agape. Yugi had heard enough and before another word could be spoken, he stepped forward to stand in front of Atem to address Yami Tea.

"That situation was not his fault. It was mine and mine alone. And if that's truly your motivation, you should address me instead." Yugi said evenly, his amethyst gaze firm.

"That's _her_ motivation, not mine. I'm just providing her with a means to an end, just as she's doing for me. My motivation is simple, the pharaoh must finally pay for the sins of the past. For the villagers of Kul Elna. For what he's done to me, time and time again. And as you know, the only punishment befitting of this crime is for his soul to be tortured for all of eternity in the shadow realm." Yami Tea's eyes clouded over darkly as she chuckled, low and deep.

"Very well, Bakura. I will oblige your requests, but only if we can take this elsewhere." Atem said through gritted teeth, becoming acutely aware of the thousands of innocent people in the stadium.

"Oh, but where's the fun in that? Our shadow game starts tonight. Right here. And I will make the first move by taking and eye for an eye." Yami Tea said ominously, opening her jacket slightly to expose the gleaming millennium ring hanging around her neck, the tines vibrating with an audible hum.

The distant voices of the stadium-goers rose from barely perceivable to a terrifying cacophony of screams. An acrid smell met Yugi's nose, almost as if electrical equipment was burning somewhere nearby.

"Atem! I think he's got this place –" Yugi's words morphed into an alarmed cry as he was cut off by a resounding boom that rattled through his rib cage. Yugi felt Atem's body collide with his as he toppled backwards onto the stage floor. Several other explosions sounded. The air became clouded with debris and falling fragments of concrete. Pandemonium broke out as people made their break for the exits. Yugi laid supine against the stadium floor, eyes screwed shut, with Atem's body draped overtop of his in a protective embrace. After a few moments, the explosions stopped and Atem slowly lifted his head to look at Yugi.

"Are you alright, _aibou_?" Atem asked softly, his soot covered hair flopping into his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. We need to help get these people out of here." Yugi said, giving Atem an encouraging pat on the hip signalling that he could retire his duties as a human shield. Atem rolled off Yugi and they got to their feet. Fire was now visible, flames licking through open doorways obscuring some of the exits. Yugi's eyes darted around the desecrated stage, finally resting on a crumpled form a few feet away covered in dust.

"Kaiba!" Yugi exclaimed, kneeling down beside the unconscious Kaiba to rouse him. After a few moments, Kaiba groaned and coughed feebly.

"We need to get you out of here." Atem stated, cycling over to Kaiba's other side, extending his hand to offer assistance.

Kaiba barely heard a word either man had said. His head was pounding and his ears were ringing. Cautiously, he opened up one eye to survey the scene. His vision swam and disoriented thoughts flittled through his head. Finally, his eyes focused and were met by two crimson ones, alarmed but steadfast. He reached out to grasp Atem's outstretched hand and allowed himself to be hauled up. Atem slid himself under Kaiba's arm for support, with Yugi quickly mirroring the move the other side. If Kaiba did not have this splitting headache, he would have vehemently resisted the sickeningly kind offer of assistance from his rivals. However, he was not thinking straight and did not have the strength to fight, so he allowed himself to be dragged off the stage by the two shorter men.

The three made their way off the stage and started towards the throng of people rushing towards one of the clear exits. The fire had started to spread, and was now tearing through rows of stadium seats. Coughing and sputtering due to the smoke, the three made their way up the stairs and toward the first fire exit they could see.

After a few close calls with fire and falling concrete, the three men finally staggered out in the night, the pure white snow serving a stark contrast against their soot covered clothing and faces. Kaiba finally disengaged from Yugi and Atem's holds, stumbling a few feet forward to fall on all fours. The sharp sting of the snow beneath Kaiba's bare hands served to ground him, helping to clear up his thoughts. One his thoughts cleared and his breathing slowed, the full gravity of the situation finally crashed down upon Kaiba. Some maniac had just stolen the reigns of his tournament and used it to try to kill a whole crowd of innocent people. All for what, some petty attempt to get back at the pharaoh? This asshole had made his tournament into a farce, scorching Kaiba's reputation and his stadium along with it. Kaiba clenched his fists in the snow, squeezing so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Are you alright, Kaiba?" Yugi asked kindly, placing a hand on Kaiba's back in an unconscious compassionate gesture. Kaiba tensed at Yugi's touch, standing up abruptly and swinging around to face Yugi.

"Do I look alright!? That maniac bombed my stadium, a bunch of people, and ruined my tournament!" Kaiba snapped, his blue eyes frigid. "and all because of _him._ " Kaiba pointed aggressively at Atem.

"You two seen to attract chaos and leave a trail of destruction behind you wherever you go. You… you… You are naive and fool hearted—" Kaiba glare fell upon on Yugi. "Cocky and _insufferable_." Kaiba concluded as his eyes shifted to Atem. Yugi looked mildly hurt at the outburst. Next to Yugi, Atem stood silently, his gaze unreadable.

Kaiba blew by the shorter men to stand in front of his stadium, which had now become fully engulfed in flames. The fire department was here, but Kaiba knew that the damage was already done. As the Blue Eyes White Dragon became swallowed by the aberrant flames in front of him, Kaiba closed his eyes. He couldn't help but draw a correlate between this stadium and his own success. Both were currently going up in flames. However, the great Seto Kaiba is not one to wallow, and after a moment, his despair was quickly replaced by rage, burning deeply within his chest. Rage that started to wildly flail at all parties he could possibly lay blame. He internally cursed out the millennium items, his security team, that ancient Egyptian psychopath, Yugi, and most of all, Atem.

Kaiba's heart pounded as he recalled the gall at which Atem stared back at him just mere moments ago. That man always seemed to get a rise out of Kaiba, no matter the situation. Kaiba found his rage morphing to frustration as he recalled their various duels throughout the years. His various losses, too. His mind wandered to remember the intense power that seemed to crackle between them whenever they met, duel disks at the ready. Kaiba's breath caught unexpectedly as he imagined their upcoming meeting, his rage and torment being pushed out of his mind by something other than just excitement.

"Hmph." Kaiba grunted, opening his eyes to stare back at the incendiary carnage in front of him once again. He would get his revenge on this megalomaniac for publicly humiliating him. He would get the public forum he needed to reclaim his stolen title from the pharaoh. But most of all, he would succeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've got a moment, please leave a review. Good, bad or otherwise, I always love getting some feedback from you guys!
> 
> I've always enjoyed Yami Bakura as an antagonist, so I thought I'd do my own spin on the spirit of the Millenium Ring, starting by giving him a new host. And there's a lot more in store for Yami Tea/Bakura! I'm excited to share. Stay tuned.


	3. Drowning Mirror Force

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, kind reader! This chapter was a blast to write. And might I say, Kaiba's certainly in fine form this chapter. I hope you enjoy!

While Kaiba stared at up his burning stadium pondering his next move, Yugi quietly signalled to Atem to follow him. Walking towards the street, they both dug out their phones and started trying to get in contact with their friends.

"I hope everyone's ok." Yugi muttered worriedly as his phone continued to ring. Joey was not picking up.

"I'm sure – oh, hello Tristan. Where are you? Oh good. Are Joey and Mai with you? Really, they are not?" The partially audible conversation between Atem and Tristan was starting to worry Yugi, prompting him to try Joey's cell again.

The two walked down the sidewalk in silence, passing by soot covered people huddled together, ambulances and children crying. Atem visibly tensed up as he scanned the crowd of people who should have never been caught in the crossfire. A few feet away, a child was sitting on a bench crying within his father's embrace as they huddling together to warm up as neither had a coat. Atem stopped and instinctively shed his jacket, placing it over the kid's shoulders wordlessly. The father looked up from his crying child, his eyes widening as he took in the unlikely sight of two legendary duelists standing in front of him out of the blue.

"T-thank you." The man choked out.

After a silent nod of acknowledgment, Atem walked onwards, arms bare in the cold winter night. They walked in silence for some time. After briefly opening the link and sensing Atem wanted to be alone with his thoughts, Yugi continued to walk silently beside Atem, letting his physical proximity serve as a reminder to Atem that he was not alone should he ever want to talk.

After a few more minutes and one more jacket shed trying to atone for the events of the evening as they cycled around the building, Yugi and Atem found themselves bare armed and back where they started.

"Tristan said that they would meet us here." Atem was the the first to speak. His eyes scanned the thinning crowd for any signs of their friends. Sure enough, a holler from behind them caught the two men's attention. As they turned, they were met by the scared and tired faces of three of their friends.

"Good to see you too, buddy!" Yugi said happily as Tristan pulled him into a rough hug. The brief joyous reunion was quickly brought to a halt by Bakura.

"I can't believe it…" Bakura said, his eyes glazed over and his face somehow paler than usual. "My darker half… I thought he was gone for good."

Yugi disengaged from Tristian and addressed Bakura. "Don't worry, Bakura. We have bested him in the past, and we will figure out how to do it again." Yugi said with a confidence he only half felt. His words seemed to do nothing to Bakura Ryou, who seemed to sink further into himself in worried introspection.

 _Yami Bakura was never predictable. The last time we were in that ancient psychopath's crosshairs, we barely escaped with our lives._ Yugi thought to himself. _But together, I think we have a fighting chance._

Yugi felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He fished it out and quickly answered before it rolled over to voicemail. The name on the caller ID brought a smile to Yugi's face.

"Joey! Where are you guys?"

"In an ambulance. Mai got hurt by a falling chunk of concrete. She should be ok, but dey are taking her to da hospital just in case. Did everyone else make it out?"

"Oh no! Want us to meet you there? And yeah, everyone else made it out ok."

"No, we should be fine. Maybe we can catch up tomorrow?" Joey responded, his usual chipper voice flat with worry.

"Ok. But if you need us, even if its just for a ride back, just call, ok?" Yugi said.

"Gotcha. Bye Yuge." Click.

Yugi relayed the information to the group. After some murmured words of concern, the group decided that they should go home, rest and reconvene tomorrow to discuss what needs to be done. They parted ways, a noticeably heavier air hanging around them than when they had met up earlier in the evening.

* * *

The next morning, everyone except Mai descended upon the Muto residence. Mai had decided to get some rest at home after her long night in the ER being casted for her broken leg. However, Joey could not rest despite his long night up with Mai. He was currently giving his two cents regarding Yami Bakura as he finished his second cup of coffee.

"To da Shadow Realm with 'im!" Joey exclaimed throwing his arms up and nearly knocking over his nearby mug.

"Don't you think that's a little excessive? Maybe we should try something a little more civilized? Like trapping him in the ring and locking it up for good this time?" Yugi proposed.

"Nah Yuge, I think Joey's onto something. Atem's got the mojo to send Bakura's ass – sorry, good Bakura, I mean the bad Bakura's – to the shadow realm. I say get him before he gets you!" Tristan said emphatically.

Yugi just sighed. His friend's hearts were in the right place and part of him would take satisfaction knowing Bakura was locked up for good in the shadow realm, but using that sort of dark and dangerous magic took a toll on a soul. Just recently, they had found themselves face-to-face with Atem's dark side. Afterwards Atem had swore, and rightfully so, that he would never entertain the idea of tapping into that type of Egyptian magic again.

Yugi looked over at his partner, who was sitting across the table from him lost in thought. His face was gently propped in the palm of his hand as he stared unseeingly at the dregs of his coffee. Before Yugi could decide if he wanted to disturb Atem's train of thought, they all heard the door to the private residence open.

"Uhhh sir, you can't go back there!" the teen manning the game shop desk called meekly as footsteps rang on the stairs.

"Screw the rules."

Like a tornado made of rage and determination, Seto Kaiba swept into the room with a flair only he seemed to possess. After a quick scan of the stunned faces in front of him, his eyes landed on his target. In the span of a second, Kaiba closed the gap and grabbed Atem by the collar of his jacket pulling him to his feet so their faces were mere inches apart. Atem's wide-eyed stare quickly morphed into disdain.

"You! You got me in this mess, and you're going to get me off—out." Kaiba seethed, sputtering slightly.

In one fluid motion, Atem quickly raised his arms between Kaiba's and swept them aside. As Atem disengaged from Kaiba's grasp, Joey was hot on his tail to deliver Kaiba an express right hook to the cheek.

"What the hell Kaiba!?" Joey yelled, shaking out his hand.

Kaiba slowly turned his head to shoot Joey a murderous look, his cheek pink from the contact. He made a move towards the scrappy blond, but like a bolt of lightning, Yugi appeared between the two men.

"Stop it you two!" Yugi bellowed, sounding rather Atem-like in his gravitas. This got their attention. "Kaiba, what in Ra's name are you talking about?"

"He—" Kaiba pointed at Atem, who was watching warily and clearly once again annoyed at Kaiba's obtrusive theatrics, "actually, both of you losers ruined my tournament and you're going to fix it."

"Finally, I get some recognition." Yugi muttered to himself.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. We were actually just trying to figure that out. Something needs to be done about the Spirit of the Ring, and we need it to do it soon." Yugi responded, trying to calm down the CEO. While Yugi started flexing his diplomacy skills, Atem nonchalantly walked past Yugi towards the kitchen as if nothing amiss was going on.

"Well, what have you got?" Kaiba said curtly, shooting Atem a look as he walked by.

"Well, we are still working out the fine details." Yugi responded, rubbing the back of his neck.

"So, what you're telling me is that you have nothing? Figures." Kaiba rolled his eyes.

"Just give us a bit of time and I'm sure we will figure something out." Bakura spoke quietly.

"Oh and YOU. You're this psychopath's counterpart, aren't you? Tell me then, how do we get him gone for good?" Kaiba moved towards the white-haired man with zeal, but he was stopped by the clearing of a throat.

Atem had returned and was moving towards Kaiba, two mugs of coffee in one hand, a third in the other. He held out the third mug to a baffled Kaiba.

"Sit down. I have a plan." Atem said simply. Kaiba accepted the coffee warily and took a seat.

Atem handed the second mug to Yugi and sat down across from Kaiba. A hush befell the room as all eyes diverted to Atem.

"We need to set a trap." Atem started.

"How?" Kaiba snapped impatiently.

"Let me finish." Atem shot him a scathing look.

"Clearly, he is here for revenge, so we will give him the perfect venue to accomplish his goal. Using your platform and your amusement park, Kaiba, I will publicly challenge Bakura to a duel. Everyone here will come along, especially you, Bakura. I will get him to agree to abandon Tea as a host if he loses. Conversely, if I lose, he gets my soul in the shadow realm. He will certainly make our duel a shadow game, and when I win, he will get sent to the shadow realm by his own hand."

"Great plan and all partner, but I'd bet that Bakura will find some way to worm out of his end of the agreement should he lose." Yugi interjected.

Atem's eyes twinkled mischievously. "You are correct, _Aibou._ And when he does, he will be playing right into my hand."

Yugi's brow knitted in confusion, then after a few moments, his eyes illuminated in understanding. He looked at Atem, a small impressed smile on his face.

"That just might work!" Yugi said aloud.

"You did dat mind reading thing again, didn't you?" Joey said suspiciously.

"What?" Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "Would you like to let the rest of the class in on the plan?"

"No." Atem said directly to Kaiba. "I don't think we will."

"What he means," Yugi gave Atem a little jab in the side, "is that the plan will work better if we keep this part of it under wraps. A surprise attack, if you will. "

 _Don't antagonize him too much, partner._ Yugi sent through the link, his words chastising but his tone amused.

 _But when he keeps making faces like that, how can I not?_ Atem's chuckle rang though out Yugi's mind. Sure enough, across the table Kaiba looked livid at Atem's flippant response, veins bulging slightly in his temple. His face had turned pink with frustration.

"Now if you don't mind, could you arrange for the Kaiba Land stadium to be available for two days from now? We will send you a message later today, and if you could use your Kaiba Corp. resources to broadcast it to the world that would be great. We need to get Bakura into our trap." Yugi said, his voice conveying a note of finality.

Kaiba looked as if he still had tomes left to say, but decided at the last minute to save his breath. "Hmph, fine. This had better work." Kaiba took another couple mouthfuls of coffee before making his leave without a single goodbye.

"Who taught that guy manners?" Bakura said, shaking his head.

"The same person who taught Joey his." Tristan jabbed. Joey huffed and took a playful swing at Tristan.

Yugi let out the breath he had been unconsciously holding and slumped back in his chair, head lolling back slightly. Atem smiled and rested his hand on Yugi's knee.

"This is going to work." Atem said, trying to put his partner at ease.

"Yeah, but with Bakura, nothing's ever that straightforward."

Atem nodded understandingly. He nearly lost his life at the hand of the Spirit of the Millennium Ring several times in the past. But whenever he and Yugi faced a challenge side-by-side, they had always found a way out of the dark, even if by the skin of their teeth. Although, their good track record did not help to quell the small focus of concern growing on the fringes of Atem's consciousness.

 _Should anything happen to Yugi in all of this, I'd never be able to forgive myself. When it comes to shadow games, the consequences may be grave._ Atem thought to himself. He felt Yugi's fingers intertwine with his, Yugi's warmth radiating through the mere touch. He squeezed back.

"Shall we make that phone call?" Yugi asked. Atem nodded. The first part of his plan was set in motion.

The group gathered around the table while Yugi pulled up a contact in this phone. Three rings and a female voice sounded through the line.

"Ishizu Ishtar."

"Hello Ishizu!" Yugi greeted warmly. "You're on speaker phone, and I've got someone here who wants to say hello too."

"Hello Ishizu" Atem greeted.

"Oh pharaoh! I saw that you had returned on the news! You really should have rang sooner!" Ishizu said, a note of excitement in her voice. "It's a shame what happened to Kaiba's stadium. Do the police know what happened yet?"

"This is precisely why we are calling, Ishizu. The Spirit of the Millennium Ring is back. He attacked the stadium to try to goad me and has now taken up host in one of our friends." Atem explained.

"Oh no. This is certainly not good."

"Yes, and we need a way to make sure we can trap him in the ring for good this time and get it out of the reach of everyone." Yugi said.

"You know this will be a difficult, if not impossible task, yes?" Ishizu responded quietly.

"What choice do we have? We have already banished him several times, and we can do it again. But we need your help should he decide to escalate the situation." Yugi responded.

"How may I be of assistance?"

"Do you know of a way to destroy a Millennium Item?" Atem inquired.

A beat of silence. "You know what that would do to the Thief's soul, right? Are you sure you can live with the consequences?" Ishizu said gravely.

"I hope it will not come to this, but if we're to ensure this never happens again, we need to know all of our options." Atem responded.

"Very well. Do you still have access to your power since you have returned to this plane?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm… if I recall correctly, that means that the remaining Millennium Items are still likely in play. They are still buried in the desert, yes?"

"I think so –" Atem started.

Yugi held a hand up. "Atem, I think Kaiba might have dug them all up when he was trying to reassemble the puzzle all those years ago."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I don't think Kaiba would have left all of that power in the ground when he could secure it for himself, even if he doesn't know how to use it."

"Well, I don't think you give him enough credit. He figured out how to use the cube just fine." Atem smirked.

"Right! You'll really have to tell me more about his visit to the afterlife later." Yugi chuckled. "Unfortunately, I think we need to talk with Kaiba again."

Atem sighed. Even if Kaiba had acquired the remaining Millennium Items, convincing him to hand them over would be a difficult task.

"Why do we need the other items?" Yugi turned his attention back to the phone.

"Well, the pharaoh is powerful, but remember the last time you tried to lock away the Spirit of the Ring? It took all of the Millennium Items and all of your combined strength to best Bakura. Although I'm certain he must be weaker after that battle, I say you can never be too cautious."

Yugi hummed in understanding.

"With the items, timing and some luck, you should be able to overwhelm Bakura enough to disengage him from your friend and lock him away. If not, I think the best chance you will ever have at destroying this item would be by unleashing your full force Atem, combined with the items to hopefully obliterate the Millennium Ring. I don't know if it is possible, or what consequences it may have for you, but that's all I can offer you for advice for now."

"Thank you, Ishizu."

"Be careful, pharaoh. I will try to do a bit more reading to see if there's anything more I can find on this matter."

"Thank you very much for your help, Ishizu." Yugi said. Click.

* * *

The next day, Yugi, Atem, Joey, Tristan and Bakura had just rounded the corner of the Kaiba Corp. tower on their way to secure the Millennium Items. Yugi had tried to call ahead to see if he could set up a meeting, but Kaiba's secretary was less than helpful. So, they decided to meet with Mokuba instead. As they walked through the large glass doors into the elegant foyer, Mokuba was already waiting by the desk.

"Hello Yugi!" Mokuba greeted. "What's up? Why the emergency meeting?"

"Thanks for making room in your schedule to meet us. It's got to do with the Kaiba Dome explosions."

Mokuba's eyes went wide, regarding the group warily. "What do you know?"

They filled Mokuba in on Yami Bakura's return, his motivations and an overview of the plan. By the end, Mokuba looked downright terrified.

"So, how can I help?"

"We need the Millennium Items." Atem stated.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Why would I know where they are? They are in Egypt, right?" Mokuba's terror persisted, his speech pressured and nervous.

"Oh come on, we know you guys have da items. Let's cut to da chase, ok?" Joey said exasperatedly.

"I… I… need to ask Seto."

"You need to ask me what?" A dry voice called from across the foyer. The man in question had apparated seemingly out of thin air, standing with his arms crossed across his crisp black suit. He looked infuriated at the sight of Yugi and his crew.

"Uh, hey Kaiba. We need the Millennium Items. It will help get us get rid of the Spirit of the Millennium Ring for good." Yugi explained. He took a few steps toward Kaiba. He was excited to see if his hunch was right. "We know you have them."

"I don't and even if I did, why would I let you dorks have them?" His blue eyes narrowed and hard, but a smug smile on his face all but confirming that he indeed was hiding something.

Atem sighed in frustration and strode across the room until he was standing right in front of Kaiba nearly chest to chest. Kaiba seemed to puff his chest in response and did not move an inch despite Atem's attempt to assert some sort of dominance over the taller, richer man.

"I do wish you'd stop being so obstinate and actually be helpful for once." Atem said, his voice low. "Now please, can you do the right thing for once and take us to them?"

Kaiba leaned in closer, using his full height to his advantage to tower over the once pharaoh. "Make me."

"Hmph." Atem exhaled loudly, crimson eyes narrowing slightly as he considered his options.

Upon feeling Atem's breath on his face, Kaiba became acutely aware of how close they were. Kaiba recoiled slightly, which caused Atem to smirk. That smirk seemed to further disarm Kaiba, making his thoughts become fuzzy and indistinct. He took one more step back. _What the hell?_

"For Ra's sake guys, can we please stop this measuring contest?" Yugi now stood beside the two men, looking tired and like he was developing a headache. "Kaiba?"

"Big brother, just help them." Mokuba's pleaded, his voice sounding somewhat younger in his request. His brother's words seemed to clear the older Kaiba's head.

"Hmph, fine. But know that I'm only doing this for my company. It's better for our bottom line if our stadiums don't go up in flames again." Kaiba said haughtily, but the tone of his voice was not fooling anyone. Not even himself. Kaiba dug out his phone.

"I will bring them to Kaiba Land when you meet up with that maniac in a few days." A statement, not an offer. Atem nodded once. Kaiba turned away to make his call in privacy.

Joey, Tristan and Bakura joined their side, snickering slightly. _Why are they laughing?_ Atem throught, his face broadcasting his inner confusion.

"Oh nothing, friend. We were just taking bets on what Kaiba was going to do next." Bakura said innocently. Yugi looked at his friends and started laughing knowingly.

"Me too, I was certain Kaiba was going to jump him." Yugi continued to laugh, his face turning slightly pink. Atem just looked confused.

"Kaiba was going to what?"

"Really? You didn't… sense it? Ah, I will tell you later, partner." Yugi said, clapping Atem's shoulder lightly. He turned back to Mokuba. "Thank you for all of your help. Could you please make sure your brother brings the items?"

"For sure, Yugi. And I'm… sorry for Seto's behaviour. Seto's just very protective of the items. They are… too powerful should they fall into the wrong hands." Mokuba apologized sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

Yugi said his goodbyes to the younger Kaiba and signalled their leave to the rest of the group. As they walked down the snow-covered street, Atem continued his confused line of questioning, as a laughing Joey mimicked Kaiba by jokingly getting all up in Atem's personal space. Yugi was walking behind them and enjoying this moment of levity before the inevitable face to face meeting with Yami Bakura. A chill ran down his spine, as he recalled just how close he had been to nearly losing every one he loved the last time they had faced off. Watching Atem fall after being hit by the wrath of Thief Bakura's monster. Darting through the hot sand towards the nearly dead body of his partner, heart pounding and stomach sinking sickeningly. The relief that washed over him when those brilliant crimson eyes opened once again beneath their golden crown. Yugi's eyes stung as he tucked his face further into his collar.

_This time will be different. We have a solid plan, and we will be on our own turf. It will be different. We will all be alright._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha oh boy, do I ever enjoy writing these interactions between Atem and Kaiba. I hope you enjoyed it too. Next chapter will be a bit less expositional and a bit more plot driven as Yami Tea makes her grand return!
> 
> As always, I love hearing from and interacting with y'all! So, if you want to leave some feedback – good, bad or otherwise, feel free! Until next time.


	4. Trecherous Trap Hole

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the lovely comments, guys. Knowing someone out there has enjoyed what I've created honestly makes my day.
> 
> This chapter is the result of me pushing myself creatively in more ways than one, and it was an absolute blast to write. It contains my attempt at paying homage to the dramatic duels from the anime/manga in a concise and plot driven manner. Also, it was a lot of fun writing a duel using a deck I sometimes use myself at my local Yu-Gi-Oh TCG tourneys. I hope you enjoy!

The day had come and the plan was now in motion. The challenge to the Spirit of the Ring had been announced a day earlier by Kaiba on every media outlet, social media page and active duelist network. Although there had been no formal response, Yugi was certain Yami Bakura had gotten the message. The group walked up to the extravagant gates of Kaiba Land early that morning where a crowd had already started forming.

Despite Kaiba's messages warning the public to not come to the theme park that day, the showdown proved to be too interesting to pass up for some of the most enthusiastic duelling fans. Despite the cold, there was a large crowd positioned at the entry gates, which were staunchly closed to keep the fans at bay. As Yugi and Atem came into view, the fans locked their sights onto the two legendary duelists. It took all of Joey and Tristan's brawn to push through the crowd to create a path for the remainder of the group. Kaiba was waiting on the other side of the gate, an irritated look on his face directed mostly at the masses. As he motioned let Yugi's group pass, Kaiba took a moment to address the disgruntled crowd.

"I suggest you all go home and watch the broadcast. It's too dangerous to watch this duel in person. You saw what this guy did to the Kaiba Dome. I cannot be held accountable for your safety." Kaiba boomed. His words just seemed to aggravate the crowd further. After a few minutes of chaotic yelling and pleading, Kaiba let out a groan.

"Fine, have it your way. It's your funeral." Kaiba pushed a button to open the gates. "You will need to pay entrance and sign waivers before entering the stadium."

Meanwhile, Atem, Yugi and the group were inside setting up their trap. The duel arena was ready to go, as were their decks. Mokuba was already there when they arrived, holding a large suitcase sized metal container. Inside were the five remaining items and the infamous Millennium cube. The group stood on middle of the stage waiting for their opponent to show. There was no sign of the spirit yet.

Time passed at a glacial pace. Joey checked the time on his phone for the third time in five minutes.

"He will come, Joey. We are early." Atem reminded him evenly, his gaze drifting towards the trickle of people entering the stadium.

"All of these people… I though Kaiba was supposed to keep them outside the grounds." Yugi said, his hand absentmindedly cupping the millennium puzzle hanging around his neck.

"He probably got swayed by their admission fees." Tristan huffed. Joey snorted at this comment.

The minutes passed slowly and soon an hour had passed. Conversation amongst the friends had died down sometime ago, replaced by anticipation and an air of foreboding. The TV crew that Kaiba had insisted be present, much to Yugi and Atem's chagrin, looked as if they were about to fall asleep against their cameras.

"Maybe he didn't get the message." Yugi muttered, the first to speak in several minutes. Just as soon as the words left his mouth, the stadium plunged into darkness.

"Not again!" Joey groaned.

After a few bonechilling seconds of silence, a surprised yelp sounded followed by a strangled moan. Several yells and screams sounded from the crowd. Boots scuffed against the floor as an unperceivable struggle took place. Finally the stadium was illuminated one again, spotlights trained on the center of the stage. A new figure had joined them.

The brown bob and yellow top were familiar, but the crazed look in those blue eyes were not. Standing a few yards away was Tea, her face contorted as a grin spread from ear to ear. The Millennium Ring was obscured by the body she had taken hostage. Her arm was clasped harshly around the neck of a man with very distinctive hair.

"Yugi!" Atem choked, his eyes going wide as he unconsciously took a step towards Tea's form. She jerked back, pulling a dazed Yugi backwards by the neck. Yugi let out another strangled moan and his eye lids drooped.

"Let him go!" Atem snarled, his surprise morphing to rage.

"As you wish." Tea said mischievously. She pushed Yugi forward with strength that she should not possess causing a semi-conscious Yugi to fall sprawled in a heap a few feet away. "Wouldn't want to get in the way of the mighty pharaoh and his _aibou._ " Yami Tea sneered. Atem bolted ahead, kneeling next to Yugi.

"Are you alright?" Atem whispered. Yugi coughed in response, rubbing at his throat.

"She's stronger than I remember." Yugi joked weakly as he got to his feet. Atem let out the breath he had been holding and returned to the task at hand.

"You and I have a score to settle, Bakura."

"Why yes, we do. And as fun as getting the jump on you and your friends is, I think I would like to get down to business." Yami Tea said, her eyes scanning the stage. They stopped suddenly when they landed upon a white-haired man.

"What are you doing here?" Yami Tea asked, malice morphing to confusion.

"I could ask you the same thing." Ryou said, his usually calm and quiet voice hardened. They held their gaze for a moment. Atem ignored the somewhat odd exchange and seized his opportunity.

"Alright Bakura, we will duel. If I win, you will let Tea go and you will remain in the ring." Atem demanded, his brow furrowing.

"Alright pharaoh. But if I win, I get your soul. And you know what I'm going to do with it." The ugly, distorted smile reappeared on Tea's once pretty face. "Oh, but I will be also taking theirs."

Power flared from the Millennium Ring as Yugi and Ryou started to rise in the air. Their limbs were then roughly abducted, causing the two men to yelp. Darkness swirled around their extremities forming a crude set of bindings, jerking them up to hang in mid air.

"There, now when you go to the shadow realm, you can take solace knowing you won't be alone. Of course, you won't ever actually _see_ them again, but knowing you're not alone does wonders for the psyche." Yami Tea laughed.

"If you know what's best for you, you'll let them down this instant." Atem threatened, his features darkening despite the harsh stadium lighting.

"Oh come on, be a good sport." Yami Tea mocked, raising her duel disk. "I think its high time we give these people the show they came here for."

Atem wordlessly started up his duel disk. He glanced up at Yugi, who was struggling against his bonds.

"Ra dammit." Yugi cursed.

 _Hang in there, aibou._ Atem sent through the link.

 _Very funny, Atem._ Yugi retorted, causing Atem to wince slightly as he instantly regretted his choice of words.

"Hmmm, there's just one thing missing. Some mood lighting, perhaps?" Yami Tea said batting her eyelashes at Atem in mock flirtation.

"Bakura, don't –"

"Too late!" Yami Tea crowed, darkness billowing outwards from her body shrouding the entire stadium in an ominous reddish haze that only meant one thing.

"He's started a shadow game." Ryou said weakly, his somewhat anemic face somehow growing paler.

Once the game was established, the overall feeling in the stadium morphed. Similar to the Spirit of the Ring's other shadow games in the past, he had decided to include the onlookers in his game. Small children could be heard in the distance starting to sob, and people were calling out in confusion and terror. The hairs on the nape of Atem's neck stood on end and his skin crawled. Even though he had been in many shadow games before, he never had got used to the unsettling, sinking feeling they always gave him.

"Beauty before age. I will go first. I draw!" Yami Tea called out. She smiled at her hand. "I will play my field spell: Dark Sanctuary! Next, Archfiend Cavalry in attack mode and one face down." In response, Atem gritted his teeth and drew.

On the sidelines, Kaiba sauntered over to join the rest of Yugi and Atem's friends, seemingly unperturbed by the ruddy darkness that had enveloped his stadium. He took his place beside Joey.

"Not another one of these 'shadow games'. Why do these people always have to insist on this tacky smoke and mirror show?" Kaiba groaned.

"You know dat dese aren't just theatrics, right?" Joey looked at Kaiba incredulously. "You've seen da aftermath of enough of dese. You should get it by now."

Over the next few turns, Atem was able to get the Dark Magician Girl on the field, along side one of Yugi's cards he had borrowed for this duel, the Apple Magician Girl. He then proceeded to beat down a few of Yami Tea's lower level monsters. The cameras kept rolling, capturing every moment of Yami Tea's posturing and Atem's assertive responses as the duel ebbed and flowed.

"What is this? A bunch of magician girls? How do you really expect to beat me with those?"

"I wouldn't underestimate them, one of the greatest duelists of all time swears by them." Atem smirked.

 _Partner, play the Chocolate Magician Girl next. Trust me._ Yugi said through the link after Atem had relayed what he drew. Atem obliged, and after placing a face down in his back row, he launched an attack with the Dark Magician Girl. Unfortunately, one of Yami Tea's traps sprung: the wall of disruption. This resulted in the Dark Magician Girl's untimely trip to the graveyard while his Chocolate Magician Girl and The Tricky's attack points got slashed by 1600 points each.

"Hah! See? Those girls do not bring the firepower you'll need to beat me." Yami Tea laughed. "You received some bad advice from a man who was once a very bad boyfriend."

Atem felt a wave of embarrassment and guilt wash over Yugi through the link. Atem growled in warning.

"You know she has not really gotten over you?" Yami Tea continued, turning to address Yugi, who looking a little sick.

"That is between her and me." Yugi replied, willing his voice to stay even and firm.

"What, you don't want me airing your dirty laundry on national, nay, international television?" Yami Tea asked mockingly. "Like how you left her out of the blue for someone else?"

On the sidelines, an irked Kaiba turned to Joey. "What is she going on about now?"

"Oh? You don't know, do you?" Joey responded. "Yugi broke up with Tea a little bit back."

"Hmmm? For someone else?" Kaiba asked, his confusion building. When Joey did not respond, Kaiba rattled on. "And what, now she's teamed up with this psycho to get revenge? What is wrong with you people?" Kaiba exhaled loudly.

Back on stage, Atem finally had found his words again. "Focus on the game, Bakura. Your draw." Atem all but ordered, his ears burning slightly.

With a laugh, Yami Tea drew. Her Archfiend Commander targeted Atem's Chocolate Magician Girl for an attack, activating her special effect which resulted in the Dark Magician Girl being summoned to the field from the graveyard and cutting one of Yami Tea's strongest monster's attack points in half. Yami Tea let out a snarl as she ended her turn.

"These cards demonstrate that sometimes there's more than meets the eye." Atem smiled, drawing his next card. _Thank you aibou for the cards._

 _See, I told you they would be a good matchup for his occult deck._ Yugi responded, his inner voice vaguely cheerful despite currently being held hostage by a vengeful spirit.

"I now activate my trap, Magician Navigation, allowing me to special summon this directly from my hand!" Atem announced, throwing his ace card down onto this duel disk. In a flash of light, the Dark Magician emerged in all of his glory. Beside the Dark Magician, the Apprentice Illusion Magician was also summoned to the field. The tides of the duel further swung in Atem's favour. As Yami Tea's life points dwindled down to her last 100, her tactics became more desperate as her words became more scathing.

"Your smoke and mirrors will not stand up to the power that lies within my deck!" Yami Tea spat. "Especially if you're so keen on going with that weakling's strategies!" She looked towards Yugi, a sadistic look in her eye.

"Speaking of which, I feel like the two young men up there have not had enough fun during this duel." She said darkly, lifting her hand and clenching it into a fist. Yugi and Ryou cried out as one, writhing in pain and seemingly collapsing in on themselves.

"Stop it, Bakura! Leave them out of this!" Atem bellowed, bristling at the sound of their cries.

"What, you don't like seeing your _aibou_ writhe in pain?" Yami Tea opened her hand, clenching it again. "Well, I sure do." Yugi let out another scream. Atem's eyes became wild with anger.

"Tea!" Yugi croaked hoarsely, his face grey. "You've got to fight him now! Look at Bakura, he's not doing well!"

Sure enough, Ryou Bakura had slipped into unconsciousness after Yami Tea's most recent assault. He was hanging limply beside Yugi, his head lolling slightly.

"That won't – Yugi?" For a brief moment, Yami Tea's eyes cleared, briefly going wide with horror. "Yugi, I can't – Shut up, you pathetic girl! Don't you dare try that again!" Yami Tea was back in control and was seething.

"You remember what he did to you! You should be begging to be the one to twist the knife!" Yami Tea yelled at herself.

"He… He… did nothing." Tea had reverted back to herself momentarily, uttering the words before being consumed again by the Spirit of the Ring. "Oh honey, but he did! They both did! You should HATE them!" Yami Tea screeched, her gaze snapping back onto Atem. "Now be quiet so I can tear apart the man who made both of our lives a living hell!" A sudden switch, and Tea was back in control. Her terrified eyes met Atem's as she spoke the to him for the first time since the mystery duelist incident. "Ate- Atem. Don't worry about me, just beat him!" Snap! Yami Tea was back in control and was livid. "Alright, and for that, you'll be sent to the shadow realm too, you ungrateful host!" Yami Tea spat. She drew, tossed a few face downs and ended her turn.

The duel progressed, Atem and Yami Tea trading blow for blow as the momentum perpetually shifted like the ocean's tide. Atem found himself in a tough spot after his board was wiped with an untimely triggered Raigeki spell card, and was subsequently attacked directly by Yami Tea's monsters. Grimacing and clutching his chest as his LP dwindled down to 100, Atem quickly shrugged off the pain as his eyes instinctively flew to his friends hanging in mid air. Ever since the real Tea Gardner had tried to take back control of her own body, the Spirit of the Ring had upped the stakes of the game in his anger. Every blow Atem faced, Yugi and Bakura would also receive with double the power. Ryou Bakura had succumbed his consciousness some time ago, but Yugi was still somewhat lucid. Atem's heart constricted as he watched the same bolt of power that hit him circle around and hit Yugi squarely in the chest. Yugi's yells had turned sometime ago to blood curdling screams, and this one was for the record books. Atem watched helplessly as the most important person in his life quivered as he fought the shadows threatening to engulf him. Atem once again pleaded with Yami Tea.

"Please stop this."

"Hah! Is the mighty pharaoh… grovelling? Ra above, if I had know you had such a soft spot for him, I really would have started targeting Yugi earlier!" Yami Tea laughed, clearly relishing in the pain and chaos she was creating. "You know, if you just give up your soul now, you can save Yugi."

Atem found himself taking pause. The night before, he and Yugi had stayed up late discussing their strategy for today's duel. Inevitably, their conversation went to the worst case scenarios, with this exact situation being discussed at depth. Yugi had insisted that Atem should not even consider making a deal with the Thief for his own sake alone even if he was in dire shape. After a heated argument, Atem had caved and reluctantly swore to respect Yugi's wishes to not exchange his soul for Yugi's under any circumstances. However, standing in this moment, looking at his love's nearly lifeless body and feeling very little come through their mind link, Atem started to consider going against his word.

 _Yugi is so special to so many people. His friends, his family._ Atem thought. As for himself, Atem felt he would be much less missed. _Maybe I was pulled back here from the afterlife not only to help save the city from imminent danger once, but to ultimately save everyone once and for all from a problem my ancestors had created?_

Atem's mind wandered back to the plan he had devised that morning in the kitchen. Over the mind link, he had told Yugi that he wanted the Millennium Items because he thought he could channel their power to lock Yami Bakura in the ring once and for all and prevent him from using his power to transport the ring somewhere else. He would then tap into the shadow game Yami Bakura had created, and channel the power so he could ensure that there would be at least a few moments where Yami Bakura could not leave the ring. This would hopefully be just long enough to send that ring to the shadow realm where it belonged. Now, there was one thing Atem had purposefully left out when sharing his idea with his _hikari_. If the power of the Millennium Items combined with his own was not enough to stabilize the ring, Atem would use his own soul as the final bond to ensure Yami Bakura had no way of escaping. They would both then go to the Shadow Realm and this conflict that had spanned five thousand years and had resulted in so many deaths would finally come to an end.

Atem looked down at his duel disk, tears starting to form in his eyes. He knew what he needed to do. Although he was terrified, he was also oddly at peace. Leaving his newly reborn life behind so soon was going to be painful, but he could not ignore his duty. As the words rolled around on the tip of his tongue, the ones that would ultimately start the cascade that would result in the end, his mind drifted back once more to Yugi.

_I hope someday he is able to forgive me and understand why I did this._

As Atem opened his mouth to speak, he felt a weak brush against his consciousness.

_Partner?_

_Yugi?_

_So that was your plan all along. Please, don't do this, Atem. There must be another way._

_Yugi, I can't risk losing. If I lose, everyone will suffer. At least this way, you're safe and Bakura is gone for good. I have to do this._

_ATEM!_

Atem's heart tore in half as Yugi's raw and broken cry reverberated painfully around his head. Yugi's pain, anger and grief seared through all of his synapses, but Atem's mind was made.

 _Maybe one day we will meet again. But until then, just know that I love you, Yugi Muto. Mou hitori no ore._ Atem's inner voice broke slightly as he closed down the link. He spoke aloud.

"Bakura, take my soul in exchange for Yugi's and Ryou's." Atem said quietly, his head dipping slightly.

On the sidelines, his friends looked on in horror and anguish.

"What da hell are you doing Atem?!" Joey yelled, starting to make a dash towards the stage only to be held back the strong grip of Kaiba beside him.

While he was somewhat successful in shutting out the terrified and angry cries of his friends on his periphery, one voice cut through his defences, tearing his already broken heart into shreds.

"ATEM! LOOK AT ME!" A new life had been breathed into Yugi, who what once again struggling against his shadow bonds. "ATEM! Don't do this!"

"Bakura, you heard me. My soul for the safe release of my friends." Atem repeated, a silent tear starting to run down his cheek.

"Take mine! Leave him alone!" Yugi cried at Yami Tea, his voice sounding rather Atem-like in his conviction.

"No! It's me you want! Leave him out of this!" Atem yelled in kind, his voice now staring to betray his sorrow and fear.

"Your devotion to each other is adorable, but I think I will have to take up the pharaoh on his offer." Yami Tea responded. "You have a deal."

As the shadows surged around him, Atem tapped into his own, reaching out to the nearby Millennium Items and his Puzzle hanging around his _aibou's_ neck. He channelled his power, redirecting it and the shadow energy surrounding him towards Yami Tea. However, just as Atem felt his soul start to leave his body in the torrent of the power surge, he felt two other powers buffet against his consciousness. Although indistinct and overwhelming, in that split second, he recognized them. There was a brief disorienting struggle, and Atem felt the stream of power combine with the ring only to become fully absorbed in the shadows.

To the horror of the onlookers, the stage lit up with a sunburst of power. Four bodies then hit the ground simultaneously.

Kaiba let go of Joey's arm and the blond ambushed the stage, running towards the two tricolour haired men. Tristan went to check on Bakura Ryou and Tea on the other side of the stage.

"Yuge! YUGE!" Joey shook Yugi roughly. No response. He frantically scrambled a few feet away to shake Atem with the same vigor.

"Atem! Please!" Once again, no response.

"Tristan!" Joey called to his friend in terror.

"Our Bakura's just starting to wake up! No response from Tea or, er, the Spirit of the Ring." Tristan called back. "Also, the ring… it's still here."

A shiver ran down Joey's spine. Atem's plan had not worked. Beside him, he heard a faint rustle. Joey's eyes snapped towards Yugi's form in expectation, but the rustle once again sounded, localizing to his other side. Joey's attention fell upon Atem.

"Atem!" Joey exclaimed, carefully propping up his friend in his lap. "You're ok!"

Atem groaned weakly as the world came back into focus. His eyes were met with Joey's relieved face. Although he too was relieved to see his friend once again, Atem's thoughts instinctively went to his _hikari._ He felt three souls in that power struggle…

"Y-Yugi? What about Yugi?" Atem croaked.

"He's not waking up…" Joey responded worriedly.

With a burst of energy he should not have possessed, Atem dragged himself across the stage over to Yugi. Kneeling beside his partner's crumpled form, he pulled Yugi partway onto his lap. As he cupped his _Hikari's_ face gently in his hands, his worst fears were confirmed.

Yugi was alive, but his partially opened eyes were dead in a way that Atem had only seen under one specific circumstance. Atem's body trembled as a broken wail escaped his throat. Atem pulled Yugi into his chest as his own body was wracked with rigors. He sobbed freely.

"Partner… partner…"

"Oh my god Atem… is he…" Joey started, placing a hand on Atem's back.

On the other side of the stadium, Tea started to rouse. Tristan moved to her side, only to realize it wasn't Tea who had woken up. With a look of terror and disgust, Tristan yelled back at his friends.

"Guys, we have a problem. Evil Bakura is still here!"

Tristan's words somehow penetrated Atem's grief just enough to be registered. His crimson eyes, which were now rimmed in red and marred by tears, snapped up from his partner's body to look at the other side of the stage. He watched as the soul that had just single handily destroyed his life all the while wearing the skin of one of his friends got slowly to his feet.

The soul that had just sent Yugi Muto to the shadow realm.


	5. Raigeki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! Fair warning, this chapter is a little heavy and was quite difficult to write. I thought I'd explore something that the anime did not explore fully, specifically, what it would be like being trapped in the shadow realm. I think this chapter turned out alright, but I'd definitely like to know your thoughts on it.

Yugi opened his eyes again but the same darkness obscured his vision. The same silence met his ears. His skin was crawling yet numb to the point of irritation. His mouth was perpetually dry. For how long he had been floating in this realm he did not know, but the inky nothingness was once again getting the best of him. He was in his own personal hell.

Despite his disorientation, Yugi knew that this must be the shadow realm. Everything here had been seemingly fabricated to target and magnify his own fears and dislikes. His dislike of being alone and isolated had certainly been brought to the forefront thanks to this place. He could not see, not even his own hands held up mere inches from his eyes. He could not hear, not a single word, whimper or scream that left his own lips. His stomach was constantly hungry and felt like it was in a perpetual state of zero gravity, falling and tumbling into an unseen void. Without anything external to focus on, Yugi was left to his own thoughts and memories. For the hundredth time, he tapped into one of his memories to try to ground himself and try to ignore the disconcerting sensory deprivation tank the shadow realm had crafted for him. He tried to recall what he had heard about this place before, but the specifics of the conversation seemed to escape him… again.

 _I can see her form, her hair, but not her face… who was it again?_ Yugi thought to himself as he struggled to recall the memory in question.

Some time ago, hours or years Yugi could not tell, his memories started to become warped by the hellish forces that governed this dimension. The first thing that was lost to the shadows was the specifics of some memories. Places, who was present, specific statements. Next, the names of his friends started to evade him. Then their faces. Just recently, he had started finding large voids in his memories where his friends used to occupy, like holes crudely burned into a photograph.

Yugi let out a silent sigh and closed his unseeing eyes again in frustration. His heart rate started to increase, and his throat started to tighten as he started to again realize that he had been here for quite some time. If… Atem was going to save him, he surely would have by now?

_Atem._

Yugi repeated the name of his other self in his head slowly, purposefully, like a mantra to calm himself down. One of the last names and faces to be forgotten was Atem's. The shadows had claimed almost everyone else dear to Yugi, but the memories of his partner seemed to be immune… for now. Leaning backwards, Yugi recalled a fond memory he kept cycling back to since being sent here. A memory that he held tightly onto, using it as an anchor keeping him steady in his sea of torment. Yugi was transported back to his high school days. He found himself sitting on the lush lawn in front of Domino High. This particular day, he was waiting for Joey and Tristan to finish up their most recent stint in detention and for Tea to finish up with her after school dance club. Knowing he would have a while to wait, Yugi got comfortable by laying down in the grass using his backpack as a pillow. The warm late spring breeze blew through his hair as he stared up at the clouds drifting by. In that moment, Yugi felt he was no longer alone. Turning his head to the side, he saw the familiar form of his other self who was now sitting beside him.

_No arcade today, Yugi?_

_Soon, my other self. Just waiting on our friends. Joey just_ had _to throw his lunch tray at Kaiba._ Yugi responded amusedly.

Yugi felt a warm chuckle reverberate through his mind and watched the other tricolour haired boy gracefully lay down beside him. After a few minutes looking at the clouds in a comfortable silence, Yugi reached out.

_Yami?_

_Yes, Yugi?_

_I'm sorry._

_What for?_

_That you're without your memories and that we seem to be no closer to getting them back. That you're stuck living this boring life with me._

Yami propped himself up on his elbow to look at Yugi, an incredulous look on his face.

_Your life is certainly not boring. And Yugi, there's no one else I'd rather be with. Honestly._

_You're just saying that._ Yugi's eyes remained fixated on the sky.

_Look at me, Yugi._

Yugi obliged, taking in the smile on Yami's face as he looked down upon him. _You're the best partner I could ever ask for. I've said it before and I will say it again. I don't care what becomes of me and my memories, for so long as I have you around, I feel... whole._ In that moment, Yugi felt a strange warmth he had never really registered come through the link. Although initially taken aback by his other self's proclamation, that warmth seemed to undo any insecurity he was feeling.

 _You are too, partner._ Yugi responded easily, smiling back.

Yugi reveled in that memory, and for a brief moment, Yugi felt normal sensation return to his limbs and his anxiety melt away. Unfortunately, the darkened dimension seemed to redouble its efforts, pulling Yugi back below the inky surface. Warmth quickly became cold. Yugi clutched feebly onto the image of Atem from that memory: smiling, carefree, sure and certain in his convictions. In his partnership.

A lump formed in his throat.

_I've lost him again… haven't I?_

Painful memories started to intrude upon Yugi's thoughts once again, ripping at a wound Yugi had just recently healed. As he felt himself once again staring into a familiar void, he started to tremble as he involuntarily recalled his seven years separated from Atem. Although they were by no means horrible overall, Yugi was often aware of a particular void that seemed to present itself at the most inopportune times.

Atem had once said he was going to stay with Yugi forever, memories or not, but destiny seemed to have other plans for them. Although Yugi was strong enough to stand on his own, his and Atem's emotional bond persisted. Due to the outcome of the ceremonial duel, both were left with an emptiness – a void – that never seemed to go away. When they were reunited, that void filled.

A solitary tear escaped from Yugi's eye as the shakes became rigors.

* * *

Seto Kaiba stood quietly on the sidelines taking in the spectacle that was unravelling on his stage. Nothing in this duel had occurred the way he had expected. He was honestly shocked when the Pharaoh had decided to forfeit the duel all because he was… scared? In his many years of knowing that man, Seto Kaiba would have never thought of him to be so quick to roll over and concede. Kaiba barely had enough time to voice his displeasure at his rival becoming suddenly and inexplicably spineless before the darkness that had enveloped the stage had dissolved in a burst of light, disorienting him briefly. Once his vision cleared, the scene somehow became even more confusing.

The remainder of the nerd herd had ambushed the stage in a wild panic as all four people involved in the duel had become incapacitated during the power surge. As they were roused back to their senses one by one, it became clear to the CEO that something was wrong. His attention was drawn to his rival, who had let out a sound reminiscent of a wounded animal and was now cradling an unconscious Yugi in his arms. Kaiba regarded them for a moment, watching as the pharaoh started having some sort of breakdown while the rest of his friends looked on in somber disbelief.

"What the hell is going on?" Kaiba growled impatiently as he stormed the stage. "You forfeited to this nutcase?! What the fuck were you thinking?"

Atem did not respond. In fact, he did not even seem to register Kaiba towering over him, yelling in vexation. The once pharaoh continued to look downwards, his face wet with tears and his eyes not leaving Yugi.

Kaiba crouched down and shook Yugi's shoulder unceremoniously. "Wake up!"

Joey let out a sigh, moving over to haul Kaiba back to his feet to give the two tricolour haired men some room. "Not now, Kaiba." He warned, placing a firm hand on Kaiba's shoulder.

"Hmph, I don't see what he's making such a deal about." Kaiba coolly shrugged off Joey's grip. "Yugi's fine, he's just been knocked out cold. He's breathing."

"Kaiba…"

"Oh, are you about to tell me that this is one of those stupid shadow game consequences or something? You know those shadow games don't actually exist? It's all smoke and mirrors, and you are even stupider than I thought if you believe in that crap." Kaiba chastised Joey, his anger building.

"I will never understand you, Kaiba. You seem to understand and accept some of da stuff we tell you, but why are you still so dense about shadow games? You've even seen what dey have done firsthand!"

Kaiba stared back, his blue eyes icy. "Did you just have the nerve to call me dense?"

" _Dat's_ what you got out of what I just said!" Joey nearly yelled at the CEO in frustration. "Yugi's just got sent to da shadow realm despite Atem's best efforts to take the bullet on all our behalves. Take a hike, Kaiba! You just make everything worse whenever you're around!"

Usually such an inflammatory response yelled in his face by such an inconsequential man would have made Kaiba even more livid, but for some reason, Joey's words seemed to cut through Kaiba briefly. Silently, the billionaire looked back towards the two men on the floor, neither of which had moved a muscle in the interim.

 _Why does he look so broken?_ Kaiba found himself thinking, regarding the pharaoh in his minimally responsive state. _Could the mutt really be right?_ _Maybe this wasn't all just smoke and mirrors._ Why had he been able to come to grips with understanding that the man in front of him is actually a five-thousand-year-old pharaoh who could use the Millennium Items to do inexplicable things? That he once shared a body with the man who was currently in his arms? That he was able to literally come back from the dead somehow just to slum it with some losers he once hung out with? Why had the shadow games been something he could not believe, despite all of the other inconceivable things he was able to (begrudgingly) accept? Kaiba found his skepticism start to fade as his eyes were once again opened.

 _He's behaving as if Yugi just… died._ Kaiba continued in his own mind. Everyone else seemed distraught, but the pharaoh – Atem – seemed to be falling apart right before his eyes. Kaiba watched silently as Atem continued to hold Yugi. Atem's free hand was gently cupping Yugi's face, his thumb stroking Yugi's cheek. _Their bond…_

Kaiba found himself feeling inexplicably unpleasant and turned away to face Joey once again. "Ok fine, Wheeler. Let's say Yugi has been sent to this nerd hell like you say. How do we get him back?"

"I don't know. Yugi and Atem were our best shot and dey are both now… down for da count." Joey said quietly, his eyes drifting back towards his friends.

Before Kaiba could press further, their conversation was interrupted by a shrill screech that erupted from Tea's mouth as she finally hobbled over to survey the outcome of the duel. "YOU'RE STILL HERE?"

Atem did not respond.

Yami Tea moved as if to pounce on the once pharaoh, but she was quickly stopped. Ryou Bakura had fluidly inserted himself between the thief and the pharaoh, arms outstretched with a look of determination blazed upon his delicate features.

"You've done enough!" Bakura yelled, the gravitas in his voice causing nearly all heads on the stage to snap towards him.

Yami Tea stopped in her tracks, her face morphing from initial confusion to disgust. "You… you dare try to stop me?"

Bakura, his eyes not leaving the Spirit's, crouched down and started to remove Atem's duel disk from his arm.

"Bakura…" Atem protested quietly.

"Atem, I need to do this." Bakura responded in the same tone, his eyes never leaving the Spirit. "The Spirit is my responsibility. I should have stood up to him sooner, but I… was terrified. Weak. But seeing Yugi become who he is today… the courage he has, I think I owe it to him and to myself to take a stand for once. To fight back against my darkness."

Atem looked up from Yugi to regard the quiet man in front of him. Something had changed, those brown eyes had hardened, and Bakura Ryou now bore and air of assertiveness that Atem had never seen him have before. Atem nodded once and reached around Yugi to help Bakura unlatch his duel disk from his forearm. As Bakura secured the duel disk to his own arm, he finally broke eye contact with his dark counterpart to hand Atem's deck back to him.

"I will get him back." Bakura stated, his voice sure and gaze so steady that Atem could not even think to protest.

Bakura stood up straight and focused his attention back on the Thief as he dug out his deck from his jacket pocket. "You and I will duel. If I win, you will release Yugi from the shadow realm, retreat back into the ring and let Tea go for good."

"This will be too easy. And what will I get if I win?" Yami Tea's face broke out into a devious smile, but her eyes seemed to be unsure rather than gleeful.

"You will get all of our souls."

* * *

Yugi's mind had seen better days. Or at least, Yugi suspected he had. He couldn't remember much about who he once was to be able to be able to accurately judge. As his memories began to fade even more, going from hazy around the edges to large holes in his mind, Yugi's anxiety continued to increase. His thoughts and memories were the only things he could truly sense in this hellish dimension, and as they started to become more indistinct, his tether to who he was as a person also became tenuous.

 _Is this what Atem felt like? To not have memories…_ Yugi thought to himself. His broken mind recalled fragments of those first few days when he realized that those memory lapses he seemed to have while he was duelling were the result of another soul taking over. At first, it was an unsettling situation. Watching his other self duel on his behalf while he was a pawn in _… what was it again?_ _What was I doing?_ _Oh never mind that._ The only other thing Yugi could recall is how alien it had all felt. The face looking down at him from above the game board. It looked so similar to his own, but with eyes so foreign. However, in those coming weeks as he got to know the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, he bonded with his other self and started to forget what life had been like without him. Those eyes became a source of comfort, an anchor he could use during uncertain and tense times. Although they did not always agree or see eye to eye on some matters, Atem had become one of those true friends that Yugi had once wished he had.

A tear escaped Yugi's eye, briefly creating a warm streak along his cold, numb cheek. Yugi continued to feel himself fade. _Soon, I won't remember Atem. He's the only person I know._ _Soon I will truly be… alone._

Yugi curled in on himself, wishing he could just fall asleep to escape this harsh reality for even a moment. He was tired. So tired. But rest would never come. Every time he would try to sleep, his skin would crawl more, his anxiety would spike and sleep would continue to evade.

Yugi willed himself to stop shaking, to stop letting the few things he could still sense from taking him over completely. As he slowed his breathing, he started to feel a new sensation. A warmth started to form in his toes, as if he had just dipped them in a warm bath. _Is this another trick? Another way to torture me?_

The warmth started to spread incrementally up Yugi's lower limbs, but it only served to make Yugi even more terrified. The shadow realm had done something like this before. Some time ago, Yugi had become aware of a low grade hunger deep within his stomach. After being tormented by this sensation for quite some time, it was blissfully quelled and Yugi felt satisfied and full once again. However, this reprieve was short lived and it suddenly took a sour turn as he felt that full stomach become more full, and continued to fill to beyond painful. It felt like his abdomen had been ripped open, a searing white hot pain engulfing his entire consciousness. Eventually after Yugi feared he could not take anymore without going completely mad, the sensation faded, leaving a shattered Yugi to pick up the pieces. Pieces he was still picking up. Some he feared to have been lost for good.

 _This warmth… when will it start to burn?_ Yugi worried as he screwed his eyes shut, bracing himself against the pain that was to come. The warmth had now captured his whole body, but the burn never came.

Through his eyelids, Yugi sensed that he was no longer in darkness. He cautiously opened his eyes. In front of him was a small ball of light, growing bigger by the second. The light became overwhelming, forcing Yugi to close his eyes again. In that moment, the warmth and numbness was replaced by something… foreign yet familiar. He felt uneven pressure along his back and neck, and a point of pressure on his shoulder. Transiently along his cheek he felt a featherlight touch. There was a heaviness to his limbs. His head felt like it was in a vice. Then suddenly, his hearing returned, but only to be greeted by a cacophony of unintelligible noises, terrifying and blistering in their volume. Yugi found himself crying out in pain, his own voice only adding to the anguish he was feeling. The pressure on his body continued, and the pressure on his cheek became more firm. Slowly the noises started to become more coherent.

"Yugi!"

Yugi kept his eyes shut, willing himself not to open them. The shadow realm was playing its cruelest trick yet, and he would only regret opening his eyes. He started to fight and thrash against the pressure he felt, trying to shake it off, but it only seemed to make the pressure stronger. He felt his body being pulled and a pressure formed against his chest.

"Yugi!"

_That voice… they are using him against me!_

"YUGI!"

Yugi's eyes snapped open almost on instinct. Bright lights. A dark floor. Seats. His chin rested against a shoulder. A body against his own, shaking slightly. A familiar smell, like spice and clean linen.

_It can't be._

"Is he back? Oh my god!" A voice called from a far.

"Yugi!" A second voice.

"Welcome back, Yuge!" A third.

" _Aibou._ " He felt the vibration from the chest against his as the word reached his ears.

"Ate-Atem?" Yugi croaked, his voice sounding foreign and broken. The pressure across his body tightened, but it was no longer alarming. Yugi felt himself melt into Atem's embrace.

Yugi heard something in a language that he knew but could not understand and the embrace was loosened. Into view came a set of crimson eyes rimmed in red, whose tenderness shone through their tears.

" _Aibou_ , you're home."


	6. Magician's Souls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy kind readers! And a special hello and thank you to everyone who left reviews so far!
> 
> Sorry for the delay. Last chapter explored the shadow realm (aside: which I actually prefer over the threat of death – something about being sent basically to hell is more terrifying in my opinion than just dying and potentially being able to go to the afterlife as a result, hence why I incorporated it into this story). This chapter will explore the aftermath.
> 
> This story now has a defined ending and will be 9 chapters long. This is assuming I don't go on another tangent (I'm looking at you, chapter 5 hahaha) or decide to split one of the upcoming chapters. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

_He's home._

As Yugi stirred in his arms, Atem breathed a sigh of relief. Although it had only been less than an hour, it was one of the hardest hours of his existence to date. At the end of his duel with the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, something had gone awry and Yugi's soul had been taken to the shadow realm instead of his. Once the initial shock had passed, this event started off a cascade of terrifying realizations. The crux of which being that one of Atem's worst fears had come true. He failed his partner – again – and his choices had ultimately resulted in the damnation of Yugi's soul.

Ever since Yugi had solved the Millennium Puzzle all those years ago and Atem was released from his deep slumber, Atem had always harboured a sense of protectiveness towards his partner. That one-of-a-kind light that seemed to radiate from Yugi Muto's soul had touched his own even before he had gotten to truly know Yugi as a person. That initial sense of duty had further developed into a complex and intertwined relationship that was still evolving even to this day. As the years passed and they both grew together, Atem had started to realize that Yugi did not need much in the way of protecting anymore. His light and blooming confidence in his own abilities had often made Atem take pause and led him to wonder how he had been so lucky to be able to share his life with such a special person. Yugi's strength and compassion were two things Atem, even back then, had loved him dearly for.

Today, however, was one of the times when Yugi had needed him. And he had failed. Upon seeing Yugi's deadened eyes after the shadows had dissipated, guilt and grief had wracked Atem, paralyzing him like he had never been before. His stomach dropped and heart shattered. Despite the pain he was in, a small part of him knew he needed to get back up. To face the Thief King again in order to right his wrongs, to keep everyone else safe and to save his _aibou._ But he could not move an inch. He felt like he was drowning, his lungs burning with every breath as he was pulled under the surface by the weight of his guilt. His inadequacy. His failure.

 _How did I let this happen?_ The only coherent thought that he had had since Yugi left continued to cycle through his mind. Each time it rang out it pulled him even deeper into despair.

Through his haze of emotion, Atem vaguely registered a hand on his wrist. Pale, graceful fingers were trying to unlatch his duel disk.

Bakura.

A second duel started, enveloped in the same bone-chilling shadows, as Bakura faced off against his own darker half. A small part of Atem screamed that he should get up and stop this duel before Bakura Ryou was sent to the shadow realm too. These duelists were not evenly matched. After all, Bakura Ryou himself often proclaimed he could never be a competitive duelist.

 _I don't know what I would do if Bakura Ryou was… lost too._ A quiet thought broke through his pain. _I should be in his place._

However, the duel was already underway and Atem was resigned to the sidelines. This duel was honestly one of the strangest duels Atem had ever watched. From his view on the stadium floor, he could tell that the majority of this duel was being fought outside of the Duel Monsters cards that were being played. Long stretches of silence interrupted turns as the two duelists seemed to move the battle into their own minds.

Joey, who had quietly seated himself beside Atem on the floor a few minutes back, spoke.

"What's going on? Do… do dey have a mind link like you and Yuge?"

"I don't know, Joey. It wouldn't surprise me with the way this duel is playing out." Atem responded quietly.

The duel progressed and Bakura Ryou seemed to assume the momentum easily. Yami Tea seemed to be unravelling, making a couple key misplays, opening up herself for Bakura Ryou to keep chipping away at her life points.

"You can't!" Yami Tea yelled, frustration and fear clearly evident in her voice. "How… how are you doing this?"

"Now that I've finally found my own inner strength, you no longer hold power over me. I am finally able to beat you as I should have all of those years back. I can finally ensure that you hurt no one ever again." Bakura Ryou's voice was even, words accompanied with a small, yet confident smile.

The Spirit of the Millennium Ring's last few life points were taken. Yami Tea fell to her knees, her eyes wide with fear.

"How?" Her voice quiet and broken. "How did you, my weaker half, win?"

Bakura Ryou strode over to address his darker half.

"Now is the time for you to hold up your end of our deal. Bring Yugi back. Let Tea go." Bakura all but commanded.

Yami Tea looked up from the floor, her expression unreadable. "It has been done."

In that moment, Tea collapsed as the Millennium Ring seemingly launched itself from her chest, skidding to a halt a couple feet away the stadium floor.

A few moments later, Atem felt the body in his arms twitch. Atem froze momentarily as his heart rate increased.

_Yugi!_

Looking down at his _aibou_ expectantly, his heart started to soar as the twitches became noticeable movements. However, Atem's joy was quickly tempered. He watched helplessly as Yugi continued to rouse in his arms, becoming wilder and more terrified with each passing second, thrashing about as if he were trying to shed the grips of the darkness itself. A sense of protectiveness flared in Atem once again. Pulling Yugi in tight, he continued to say Yugi's name in an effort to break him out of his trance.

"YUGI!" Atem finally shouted, his concerned voice ringing throughout the stadium. A hush befell the crowd, who were still enjoying the end of the rousing duel that had just completed as they realized that something new was transpiring.

Yugi stilled and became board stiff. Atem continued his grip on his _hikari,_ hoping desperately that he had gotten through. A moment later, he heard his name leave Yugi's lips and felt Yugi relax in his arms, taking several shaky breaths against his chest.

Atem pulled away from Yugi to look him in the eye. As his eyes met his _aibou's_ , his heart stopped. The beautiful clear amethyst eyes he had looked into countless times before were tumultuous and haunted. Anger flared deep within Atem upon seeing Yugi this way, several choice curse words leaving his lips in his native language.

Taking a calming breath and pushing aside his anger for a moment, he returned his attention back to Yugi. After ensuring Yugi knew he was indeed safe and sound back in the real world, Atem moved to break their embrace, but not before taking the Millennium Puzzle that hung from Yugi's neck and transferring it to his own. A new fire was brewing deep within his soul, one that had been growing slowly but had been kept at bay by his grief. Now that Yugi had returned, this fire was able to grow unbridled. Atem stood up slowly.

"Where is that damned ring?" Atem growled, his hair flaring with a burst of power.

Bakura Ryou, standing a few feet away with his back to Atem, spoke. "It's over here."

"Bakura, don't touch it –" Atem started but truncated his sentence when Bakura turned around to face him.

"What have you done, Bakura?" Atem's eyes went wide as he looked at his friend, the Millennium Ring hanging around his neck. Something in Atem snapped. He fluidly closed the gap and roughly grabbed Bakura by the collar.

"You let him go this instant, Ra damnit." Atem threatened darkly, his skin prickling as he felt his power start to crest. "You hear me, Thief?"

"Atem, listen to me…" Bakura pleaded, his voice soft.

"What part of THIS INSTANT do you not understand!" Atem roared as surge of power left his body, flooding Bakura's and causing him to scream in pain.

"Atem, it's me!" Bakura winced, clutching his chest. "I'm in control!" These words fell on deaf ears as Atem's rage continued to blind him, erroneously painting the Thief King's scarred face upon his friend's. The face of the man who had repeatedly tried to destroy his friends and loved ones over many millennia. His power started to build again.

 _Atem, stop! He's our Bakura!_ A familiar voice rang through Atem's mind pulling him back to reality. Atem recoiled as if he touched a live wire, suddenly pushing Bakura Ryou away as roughly as he had grabbed him. A couple moments later, Atem felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Let me take this from here, partner." Yugi murmured to Atem. Atem only nodded in response, not trusting himself to move a muscle or speak a word. Yugi took a step forward towards Bakura.

"Bakura, are you really in control?"

"Yes, I am." Bakura responded shakily.

"Please give the Millennium Ring to me. We need to rid the world of your darker side once and for all." Yugi explained evenly.

"I can't do that." Bakura stated. "Yugi, I know this is going to sound a bit crazy, but I think that my darker half deserves another chance."

"Bakura…" Yugi sighed, his tone warning.

"Yugi, you of all people should be all for giving second chances. I know you told me that you and Atem did not see eye to eye initially, but you never gave up on him."

"This is different. Atem was not completely deranged. He was just… misguided. Bakura, your dark half has legitimately hurt people. He hurt our friends time and time again. Just look at Tea over there." Yugi gestured towards Tea, who was still unconscious on the floor, Tristan gently trying to wake her. "And he blew up a stadium for Ra's sake!"

"I think I can get through to him." Bakura responded adamantly. "Something happened during our duel… I can't explain it, but I need to do this."

Yugi regarded his dear friend for a moment. Bakura stood tall, his gaze unwavering. He'd never seen his friend so outwardly sure of anything in his life. Yugi shook his head slightly in disbelief. _Is Bakura losing his mind?_

 _Perhaps._ Came the answer from his partner.

"Give me one week. Lock me away somewhere with the Millennium Ring. If I can't get through to him in that time, then you can do whatever you want with the ring. Toss it in the deepest part of the ocean or launch it into space. I don't care. But I need to try, Yugi. Please, trust me." Bakura pleaded.

Yugi regarded his own darker half pensively for a moment as he quietly closed his mental link with Atem. _What would have happened if I had just given up on Atem after he launched that attack on Kaiba while he stood on the ledge? I nearly stopped dueling and locked away the Millennium Puzzle for good that day. I nearly didn't give him a chance._

"Alright Bakura." Yugi conceded quietly, suddenly feeling quite tired.

"Yugi! What da hell do you think you're doing?" Joey cried out.

"Oh for fuck's sake." Kaiba rolled his eyes. "I will never understand you guys."

"Kaiba, please. Not now. Can you make this happen?" Yugi wearily turned to face the CEO.

"Hmph. I guess we can lock him up in the bunker. But if he kills anyone, it's on you, Yugi. And you're paying for his food and security bills." Kaiba crossed his arms. "He will have to be restrained on the way there and I will need someone to accompany him to the bunker to make sure my men don't get killed when this psychopath inevitably tries to escape. Atem?" Kaiba looked at the taller of the tricolor haired men expectantly.

"As you wish." Came Atem's reply.

"Alright, its settled." Yugi said turning back to Bakura. "One week, Bakura. You get one week."

At the motion of Seto Kaiba, a half dozen Kaiba Corp. security guards came to collect Bakura from the stage. Kaiba then turned towards Atem, signalling rather patronizingly that he should follow as per their agreement. Atem exchanged one last glance with Yugi before he quietly made his move to follow. After a couple of steps, a voice called out stopping him in his tracks.

"Atem?"

"Oh, Tea…" Atem's voice trailed off in thought as he turned to face her. He found Tea several feet away where she had fallen during the Millennium Ring's expulsion. She appeared shaken and was grimacing slightly as she tried to stand up. Atem ordered the guards to hold and he retraced his steps back towards Tea. Extending a hand, he helped her to her feet.

"Atem, thank you. I just wanted to say…" Tea started, clearly struggling to find the words that were evading her.

"It's alright. We know that wasn't you." Atem reassured kindly.

"I… I don't know what happened. I think I was at that little coffee shop by the KC headquarters… and a Kaiba Corp. employee approached me. The rest is all a blur…" Tea's brow creased as she struggled to remember the circumstances which lead to her possession by the Millennium Ring.

Atem nodded solemnly. "I am so sorry you had to endure that."

Tea sighed in response, shaking her head slightly as she turned to address both Atem and Yugi. "Thank you – both of you. And… you know, we still have some things we need to discuss. Maybe not now, but can we… talk sometime?"

"Of course." Atem said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Whenever you would like."

"For sure, Tea." Yugi felt an awkward blush creep up onto his face. "Can… can I help you get anywhere? I borrowed Mai's car to get here, so I can drop you off wherever. And I guess it would be nice to start catching up now, if you're up to it?"

"Thanks Yugi, I'd appreciate it." Tea responded amicably, her old self starting to shine through.

* * *

It was nighttime by the time Atem had arrived back home. Surprisingly, the transportation of Bakura and the Millennium Ring to Kaiba Corp's offshore bunker was uneventful. Bakura remained in control the entire trip, relaxing and chatting with Atem who was decidedly less relaxed. He knew just how devious the Spirit of the Ring could be. Atem remained on high alert, fists clenched and knuckles white even though there were no signs of the Thief King re-emerging from the ring. At the end of the day, Bakura was isolated without incident and after another small battle with Kaiba's ego about payment, Atem returned home.

Atem unlocked the door to the private residence at the back of the shop and stepped though the threshold. The house was dark and still, with the only source of light being a streetlight illuminating the family room window.

 _Yugi must have already went to sleep._ Atem thought to himself. Although he should have been undeniably exhausted, he was paradoxically wired. Despite trying to calm himself down by taking a warm shower then reading a bit of a book, Atem still felt unsettled. Deciding that trying to sleep may help him settle, he finally decided to go to bed.

Atem walked into their darkened bedroom which was partially illuminated by moonlight streaming in though the skylight. His heart caught at the sight of Yugi curled in on himself fast asleep.

 _I almost lost him today…_ Atem cut himself off before he started to fully address the day's events. Once he opened that box, there would be no chance of rest for a while. Instead, he quietly undressed and climbed into bed, taking care to not wake Yugi. Sighing quietly, Atem closed his eyes and willed sleep to come. A few moments later, he felt a weight shift beside him. An arm lazily flung itself across his chest as a face sleepily nuzzled the back of his neck.

"Took you long enough." Yugi mumbled teasingly, his voice still thick with sleep.

"You know Kaiba, nothing is ever easy with him." Atem responded with a smile as he flipped onto his back. He reached around and pulled Yugi in closer. He felt himself start to relax and his eyes start to close as Yugi's presence salved his restless soul. "I'm sorry for waking you, _aibou._ "

"Mmmm, I forgive you. I can't stay mad for long at someone so handsome."

Atem chuckled, tenderly kissing Yugi's forehead in response.

"Speaking of being mad – Atem, I hope you're not… mad at me."

Atem's smile faded at the question. "Why would I be mad, Yugi?"

Yugi disengaged from Atem, propping himself up on his elbow to look his partner in the eye. His face too had fallen. "For today. For the whole… shadow realm situation."

"Oh, Yugi. I'm not mad. Although I do have to ask, did you try to stop me? Did you try to take my place?" Atem asked quietly.

"Honestly, I don't know what happened. I know we agreed that I would not interfere with your duel no matter what, but something happened when you tried to give up your soul. I felt mine being pulled in too, and then…" Yugi's voice trailed off, his amethyst eyes nearly unreadable in the dark.

Atem waited patiently for Yugi to elaborate. They remained quiet for a moment before Yugi spoke up again. Words were now spilling rapidly out of Yugi and his voice painted with a chipper note that Atem could tell was a façade.

"But it's all ok now. We've got this sorted out. And hopefully Bakura's little experiment will turn out alright and –"

"Yes, the situation has been resolved but how are you doing?" Atem gently cut off Yugi's increasingly pressured speech as he instinctively reached up to brush one of Yugi's bangs out of his eyes.

Yugi stilled. "It was… I am…" Yugi's words seemed to fail him as his eyes begin to betray his inner turmoil and pain. Wordlessly, Atem pulled Yugi back in against his chest.

"I am here. Whatever you need." Atem whispered, pushing his own mounting pain aside to focus on Yugi. They stayed quietly like this for several minutes, both finding solace in each other's proximity.

"It… it was horrible, Atem." Yugi finally spoke.

Atem let the silence hang between them briefly, gently running his fingertips across Yugi's pyjama-clad back in a soothing, rhythmic fashion. "I can only imagine."

"When I was in the shadow realm, it… took away everything from me. My senses were the first to go. My sanity went next. Then it tried to take all of my memories and…" Yugi trailed off.

"Yugi…" Atem murmured.

Atem felt Yugi shudder as the tears started to fall from Yugi's eyes onto his bare chest. He did not need their mind link to know the pain his _aibou_ was feeling.

"Right before I was released, I only had a few isolated memories left. Memories… of you."

Yugi lifted his head to look Atem in the eye. Upon seeing his partner expression, Yugi made a pained face and used his thumb to gently brush aside a rogue tear on Atem's cheek that Atem hadn't realized he had shed. Yugi took pause upon seeing the pain Atem was in. The pain he caused.

"Oh, Atem. I'm so sorry." His chest constricting as Atem's hand moved to gently cup his cheek. "I'm sorry I put you through this." Yugi leaned in gently to kiss Atem. At first it was light and sweet, but Yugi found himself deepening the kiss as an insatiable need for closeness grew quickly within his soul. His hands ran down the angles of Atem's chiseled jaw as he pulled the rest of himself closer to Atem, his legs moving to straddle the taller man's hips. Yugi felt Atem stir beneath him as a hand traced a trail up his back, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. Atem's other hand found Yugi's, interlacing their fingers and pulling it close to his heart.

Two intertwined souls now reunited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I love hearing from and interacting with y'all! So, if you want to leave some feedback – good, bad or otherwise – I'd really appreciate it!
> 
> Next chapter will see the return of the tournament plot, with Kaiba taking front and center. Hide your blue eyes white dragon cards, cause Mr. Seto Kaiba's coming in hot and is on a path to annihilate the once pharaoh!


	7. Soul Servant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this chapter is a bit nuts and was an absolute blast to write. About half of it was written between the hours of 2300 and 0600h during breaks at work, so if the execution of the plot is a bit loopy I'm blaming it on that haha. I think it turned out alright, though.
> 
> The duel near the end of the chapter is as true to the anime as I can make it (without making it too long, but the duel does drive the plot so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ ). I think it turned out pretty well, but I'd like to know your thoughts on it too. All of the cards mentioned are real cards. One of my favourite cards of all time (other than the good 'ol BEWD as my username references) also makes a cameo.
> 
> Enough of my rambling, I'm just excited to share this chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Nearly two weeks had passed before the Starlight Showdown tournament resumed. Given the structural instability of the Kaiba Dome, all of the matches were moved to Kaiba Land and its smaller duelling arena. Despite the initial rocky start, the masses still descended upon Kaiba Land in full force, eagerly awaiting what had been hyped as the most exciting duels of the decade.

Bakura's isolation was still ongoing. After his week was up in the Kaiba Corp. bunker, he requested more time with the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, citing a breakthrough as the reason why he could not part with the artifact just yet. Yugi obliged despite a small argument with Atem. His partner was still wary of the entire situation.

Mid morning on the first day of the tournament duels, Joey pulled into the Kaiba Land parking lot and he, Mai, Yugi and Atem piled out of the car.

"Finally! This show's gonna get rolling!" Joey said excitedly, ogling the crowd as he handed Mai her crutches. As they slowly made their way to the duelist waiting area, Yugi couldn't help the smile on his face. It had been a while since he had duelled in any competitive capacity, and he was excited to see if he still had what it takes to be worthy of the title of King of Games. Over the last week, he and Atem had worked on building their decks separately and had been teasing the other about how their deck was going to be the one to prevail. Even more vocal about his deck was Joey Wheeler, who was certain it would take him to the top.

"So are you finally going to give us a preview of this deck you've been talking non-stop about?" Yugi grinned at his best friend.

"Of course not! You'll have to duel me yourself to see what's happening!" Joey said smugly.

"Or we could watch the live aired duels along with everyone else." Atem reminded Joey with what could only be described as a devious smile.

"Ahhh, no fair! That will spoil all of the fun!" Joey sounded mildly defeated at the obvious hole in his plan. Mai just shook her head.

Over the course of the next two days, the brackets progressed with Yugi, Atem, Joey and Kaiba climbing up the echelons easily. Unfortunately, Mai had hit a snag and was eliminated in the round of 16. At 6 pm, the final duel of the second day had arrived, and it found Yugi pitted against Joey in the last of the quarter finals.

Yugi reached the designated waiting spot in the wings of the stadium and peered out towards the crowd. Each duel had seen a fully packed stadium and the crowd seemed to get more and more enthusiastic about the duels as the day progressed. Glancing to the other side of the stage, Yugi searched for Joey but could not see him. Before Yugi had a chance to shoot Joey a text to ensure he didn't get forget about the duel in favour for the concession line, the announcer made his presence known to the entire stadium.

"And now for our final duel of the day! Our last quarter final pits two duelists who go way back against each other. In this corner, we have the ultimate underdog, the master of luck and the man known for his Brooklyn rage, Joey Wheeler!"

Away from the commotion, the announcer's voice sounded through the speakers on Seto Kaiba's computer. He had decided to watch the last duel of the day from the comfort of his Kaiba Land office through the live feed being broadcasted around the world. Kaiba watched as the crowd erupted into applause. The camera panned and a scrappy blond man exited the far side of the stage, waving exuberantly.

"Joey Wheeler is going to have his work cut out for him today, as his opponent is no other than the original King of Games himself. A true duelist with a heart of gold and a deck to match. Yugi Muto!"

Kaiba surveyed the short, yet powerful duelist through his screen. As he stepped out onto the stage, Yugi was met by thunderous applause. He waved briefly to the crowd as he walked towards the center of the stage, his classic blue jacket billowing slightly out behind him. Yugi appeared calm and confident on the stage. He expected no less from Yugi Muto. Kaiba watched as Yugi reached the spot where Joey had stopped and shot his friend a smile. Joey stuck out his hand and Yugi gripped it firmly.

"Alright gentlemen! Take your marks!"

"Good luck, Yuge. You're gonna need it!" Joey smirked. Yugi grinned back.

"We will see about that." Yugi said confidently.

They took their marks, drew their cards and the duel commenced.

Quickly, Yugi's Magician Girls were out on the field. Kaiba hummed to himself as he realized that Yugi once again switched up his deck. Kaiba remarked that even though Yugi seemed to be running at least three separate decks, the short duelist seemed to wield each of them as easily as the next as if they were an extension of himself. Kaiba quickly became bored as he watched Joey start to struggle against Yugi's advanced tactics and turned his attention back to the task he was previously occupied with.

Kaiba looked at the other half of his desk where his deck had been neatly arranged in its components. The way the bracket played out today, he would be facing Atem in the first semi final match tomorrow. Kaiba had been studying Atem's duels all day, but upon seeing which cards he played, Kaiba couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

 _That can't be all Atem has in store._ Kaiba thought to himself, recalling the ending of Atem's last duel. _He's holding back, I know it._

Kaiba continued to arrange his cards, occasionally substituting one for another until he was finally satisfied. Well, almost satisfied.

Kaiba picked up a card that was laying off to the side and inspected it briefly. _For insurance._ Kaiba thought to himself as he laid it on top of his now finished deck. _I hope I never have to use it._ Kaiba turned his attention back to his computer, not surprised to see that the duel had just reached its conclusion. He was, however, surprised to see Yugi's life points below 1000 for the first time today.

"You've got me good, buddy." Joey couldn't help but grin from the other side of the stage as his red eyes darkness metal dragon, despite its attack points, fell victim to Yugi's buffed Silent Magician. His last few life points dwindled away. "You win."

The crowd went nuts, chanting Yugi's name in alternation with 'King of Games', causing an embarrassed blush to appear on Yugi's face. He still felt he had a ways to go before he could safely reclaim that title.

Yugi walked over to Joey's side of the stage, offering a formal, outstretched hand to his competitor. Joey clasped his hand, then with a mischievous grin pulled the shorter man in for a rough hug, tousling Yugi's already erratic hair even more. Yugi yelped in surprise, but that noise quickly changed to laughter as Yugi struggled to free himself from Joey's grip.

Kaiba regarded the blond dweebs' unbridled joy with confusion. _How could someone lose a duel and be so happy nonetheless? This is why he will never really succeed as a duelist._ Kaiba thought to himself, ignoring the fact that Joey just finished in the top 8 in one of the most prestigious tournaments of the decade.

The two friends disengaged, gave a each other a proper handshake for sportsmanship and exited onto their own respective sides of the stage. The cameras switched off the duelists to focus on the announcers.

As Yugi crossed the threshold, his smile widened more as he was met by a welcome sight. Atem was standing among the backstage staff, beaming with pride as his eyes found Yugi.

"Congratulations, _aibou_. That was masterfully done!" Atem's smile grew wide as he excitedly collected Yugi in his arms and buried his face into Yugi's neck, lifting him off his feet briefly.

"Thank you, partner!" Yugi laughed in response, a blush once again forming on his face from the PDA.

"I guess that's all for today. Mai invited us out for dinner with her and Joey. Are you hungry?" Atem asked expectantly.

"When am I not?" Yugi grinned in response. "Let's go!"

Elsewhere in the building, Kaiba turned off his computer and got up to make his leave. Tomorrow was going to be one of the biggest duels of his life. He couldn't afford another outcome like he had the last time he faced his rival, especially with the whole world watching.

The fire that burned deep within Kaiba's gut flared at the thought of finally facing Atem, commanding the once pharaoh's undivided attention and unrestrained power. His heart rate quickened as he recalled that duel they shared many years ago in the afterlife. He was so sure he was going to best the only man worthy of being his rival, but that cocky bastard once again seemed to have the upper hand and appeared to relish in his ability to put Kaiba in his place.

 _When I'm done with him, he will be the one on his knees while I finally get my blissful vindication._ Kaiba thought with a smug smile _._

_You're mine this time, Pharaoh._

* * *

The last day of the tournament started later, allowing the two tricolour haired men some time to sleep in and prepare for the day's high stakes duels. Lounging backstage in a room reserved for waiting duelists, Yugi and Atem had commandeered a couch all to themselves and were currently debating the merits of alternative beverages to Atem's favourite coffee.

"Come on, just give it a try! You like strawberry." Yugi waved the slushy pink drink in Atem's direction. His partner crinkled his nose slightly at the offering.

"Those dark spheres within it are strange." Atem responded warily, eying the tapioca pearls with suspicion.

"Have a little faith in me. Since when have I lead you astray?"

"Hmmm, well the fish for one. And that time you substituted that hot sauce - sriracha was it?, for ketchup in that recipe. And really any time you try to navigate…" Atem rattled off teasingly.

"Oh come off it, Atem! Just try it." Yugi shook his head, thrusting the drink at Atem. Atem accepted the offering but proceeded to hold the drink cautiously like it may explode at any moment. Atem took a tentative sip. And another. Yugi watched with a satisfied smile as Atem chewed on a tapioca pearl thoughtfully.

"Good, isn't it?"

"It's fine, I suppose." Atem feigned indifference, but Yugi could see right through it. He chuckled as Atem kept his drink, reclining back to lay his head on the arm rest to further enjoy it while he propped his legs up on Yugi's lap.

Atem was finishing the dregs of the bubble tea while Yugi contentedly played a game on his phone, forearms resting on the once Pharaoh's legs, when their brief moment of peace was shattered. The two tricolour haired men's attention snapped towards the door when they were startled by the sudden arrival of a particular tour de force that burst into the room unannounced.

"Where is – oh good, you showed up." Kaiba deadpanned upon seeing Atem.

"Were you not expecting me to?" Atem responded from his semi-recumbent position on the couch, clearly confused as to why the CEO of Kaiba Corp. had to personally check that he had arrived.

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't chicken out." Kaiba said snidely.

"I'm a man of my word, Kaiba. I promised you a duel and you will get one." Atem said, eyes narrowing slightly.

"I just know I take these things seriously."

"What are you implying, Kaiba?"

"Well, it looks you have a more… relaxed approach to duel preparation." Kaiba remarked, his tone blatantly judgemental.

Atem cocked an eyebrow. "I don't need to storm around disturbing people as a part of my duel preparation." Atem retorted, clearly not impressed by Kaiba's remarks on his work ethic.

This got under Kaiba's skin. "Stand up when you talk to me. I can't take you seriously with you lounging around like that."

Atem smirked upon seeing his shot land. He closed his eyes, placing his hands slowly behind his head to further emphasize his relaxed state.

"I don't need to get riled up to be able to beat you. I could easily defeat you laying down, bound and tied." Atem responded nonchalantly, revelling in pushing Kaiba's newfound button.

"Oh Atem, what have you done…" Yugi chuckled nervously as he looked up at Kaiba's reddened flustered face, features contorted with rage.

"Yeah, well you'll be bound and tied and flat on your back when I'm done having my way with you!" Kaiba sniped, stammering slightly.

"I'd like to see you try. You'll wish you were bound and tied once we are though." Atem responded lowly.

"Do I need to leave? You, uh, want the room to yourselves?" Yugi said, trying to stifle his laughter but failing miserably at the absurd tension and posturing he was witnessing. "I can lend you a belt if you need."

Both heads turned to look at Yugi, Atem in innocent confusion while Kaiba looked almost mortified at the connotation.

"Eat a dick, Yugi." Kaiba seethed.

"Only if its Atem's." Yugi chuckled under his breath. Atem coughed, turning slightly pink.

"What?" Kaiba looked at Yugi and Atem suspiciously having clearly missed what Yugi said.

"Oh, nothing. Please continue your tirade."

"Whatever. Duel's in 10 minutes. Don't be late." Kaiba spun on his heel and stalked out of the room.

"I will never understand that man." Atem muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"I don't even think 'that man' understands himself half of the time." Yugi agreed. "Does he not hear what he's saying?"

"What was he saying, Yugi?" Atem continued to look confused.

Yugi laughed. "And here I thought you couldn't get any cuter, Atem."

* * *

"And now, the first semifinals match is upon us. This is one for the record books and is sure to be on highlight reels for years to come. During the early days of tournament duelling, these two duelists were in the upper echelons for talent and skill. Their many matches have established one of the most intense, enduring rivalries ever to be seen in the competitive duelling world. One is the beloved CEO of one of the biggest gaming companies to ever exist and is the only man who wields the feared ultimate dragon of destruction. Ladies and gentlemen, Seto Kaiba!"

His long white vest billowing out behind him majestically, Kaiba stormed the stage to deafening applause. His blue eyes gleamed in the stadium lights as a determined half-smile broke out on his face. Kaiba felt his skin prickle with goosebumps as he walked towards his mark. His heart was beating at a terrifying pace, his hands shaking with adrenaline. The anticipation made him breathless.

_Finally._

"In contrast, his opponent is much more mysterious but just as dangerous. By undisclosed circumstances, this legendary duelist once thought to be lost has returned. And he is ready to reclaim his title. The man once known as the Nameless Pharaoh, Atem!"

Kaiba's eyes scanned the other side of the stage, eagerly seeking his opponent. He quickly found Atem standing in the sidelines, smiling at a jovial Yugi. They appeared to be ending a conversation, as Yugi gently started to push a smiling Atem towards the stage. _What is taking him so long?_ Kaiba started to grow impatient as he watched Atem stop briefly to address the shorter duelist. After a short unheard phrase, the once Pharaoh clasped the other duelist's face in his hands and placed a brief kiss upon Yugi's lips.

Kaiba was suddenly buffeted by a wave of nausea. His excitement was quickly quelled by a sense of doom. His body screamed at him to run but his rational mind quickly took over keeping his feet firmly in place. Kaiba swallowed hard as he became increasingly aware of and alarmed at each sensation of his body. His heart hammering. His hands becoming clammy. His knees weakening.

_What the fuck is happening to me?_

"Kaiba?"

Kaiba snapped back to reality as the sounds of the stadium faded back in. His eyes refocused on his rival who had appeared mere feet in front of him. Kaiba vaguely noticed how Atem's form fitting black motorcycle leather jacket seemed to accentuate every curve and line. He could see Atem's chest rise and fall beneath his cream shirt evenly, which was a stark contrast to his own breathing. Kaiba heard a throat clear, and his attention was brought back again to those entrancing crimson eyes, which once again bore right into his, but this time, they were additionally coloured with concern.

"Are you alright?" The deep voice of the once pharaoh was gentle, concerned. Kaiba's anger flared. He did not like being pitied.

"No small talk. Just duel me, pharaoh." Kaiba narrowed his eyes, rapidly compartmentalizing his strange emotions. _What is going on with me?_ The nausea had started to pass, but the cold grip that seemed to encase his chest remained. He stuck out a hand. Atem's warm, firm hand clasped his own.

"As you wish, Kaiba." Atem muttered, surveying Kaiba one last time before letting go of the CEO's hand and turning to take his mark.

Kaiba stared at his hand briefly before grunting in frustration. He looked up at Atem, who had his duel disk at the ready.

"Duel!" They both yelled in unison.

Atem had the first move.

"I discard one card to special summon my monster to the field! Behold, the Tricky!" Atem boomed, his mysterious spellcaster coming to life in front of the stadium's eyes. "Next, I play my spell card. Soul Servant!"

Kaiba broke out into a cold sweat. He was right, Atem had been holding back. Now, he was going to have to react to these new tricks Atem had in store on the fly.

"Using this card, I get to place the Dark Magician or a card mentioning the Dark Magician on the top of my deck!" Atem iterated as he fanned out his deck. With a small hum of approval, he fished out the card he needed. Holding a corner of the chosen card gingerly between his lips, he moved to shuffle his deck.

The cold vice around Kaiba's chest continued to tighten as he watched the card bob slightly between Atem's lips as he moved. _Did I really just see Atem kiss Yugi?_

Atem finished his shuffle and placed the searched card on top of his deck. "I set one card face down and end my turn."

Kaiba found his bearings. "Draw! I activate trade in. I discard my Blue Eyes White Dragon to draw two cards!"

Atem gawked from across the stage. _He's sending his Blue Eyes to the graveyard?_

Kaiba looked at his drawn card, his eyes glimmering with approval. The gamble paid off. "I activate Dragon Ravine! By discarding one card, I get to send another dragon to the graveyard. And for that, I choose the White Stone of Legend!"

With a click the unknown discard went to the graveyard, followed by the White Stone of Legend. "White Stone of Legend's effect activates! I now get to add a Blue Eyes White Dragon from my deck to my hand!"

Atem felt himself go numb as he realized what Kaiba must be planning. _He can't be…_

"I activate a card from my hand! Ash Blossom and Joyous Spring!" Atem called, flashing the card towards Kaiba.

Kaiba's eyes widened. _This is not like the simulations! Where did he get that card?_

"I block you from adding your Blue Eyes White Dragon to your hand!" Atem called, discarding his spent card.

"Hmph. Next time you won't be so lucky!" Kaiba growled in mild frustration. This was a minor set back. His plan could still be enacted. "I set this card in face-down defence, and these two cards in my spell and trap zone to end my turn."

"I draw." Atem said as his heart rate started normalizing. A smile bloomed on the once pharaoh's face as he looked at the card Soul Servant allowed him to plant on the top of his deck.

"I flip my spell card! Secrets of Dark Magic! I take the Tricky from my field and fuse it with the Dark Magician from my hand!" Atem confidently flashed his ace card to Kaiba. "Come forth! The Dark Magicians!"

 _He promised me a duel and I'm getting one._ Kaiba thought as the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl both stormed the field, occupying one monster zone.

"2800 attack points?" Kaiba said impressed.

"And that's not all. You'll soon see, Kaiba." Atem said with a confident smirk. Kaiba's heart fluttered as the fire burning in his gut flared, threatening to swallow him whole. "Now the Dark Magicians! Attack his face down!"

Pop! A stone briefly flashed before the hologram dissipated.

"Oh Kaiba…" Atem's eyes went wide as he recognized the card.

"Are you done?" It was Kaiba's turn to smirk. His plan was set in motion.

Atem gritted his teeth. His hand was empty and he knew what was coming. "I end my turn."

"During the end phase, the effect of my White Stone of the Ancients activates in the graveyard!" Kaiba said triumphantly. "From my deck, I call forth the mighty Blue Eyes White Dragon to the field!"

In a burst of light, Atem found himself once again staring down Kaiba's ace card. But instead of the fear this mighty dragon usually instilled in the hearts of its beholders, Atem found himself calm. He welcomed the challenge.

"My turn! I draw!" Kaiba called. After briefly looking at his new card, he laid it face down in his spell/trap zone and eagerly turned his attention to the field. "Blue Eyes! Attack the Dark Magicians!"

A burst of white lightning engulfed the spellcasters, briefly obscuring the field. Atem's life points dwindled by 200.

Kaiba's smile faltered upon seeing two spellcasters occupying part of Atem's field when the dust cleared.

"What?!"

"When the Dark Magicians are destroyed, I get to summon both the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl to the field in it's place." Atem instructed quietly, his crimson eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Nice card. I end my turn." Kaiba grunted.

"I draw! Hmmm, I activate Pot of Greed!" Atem said. "This card lets me draw two additional cards."

After drawing the two cards with an additional moment for consideration, Atem normal summoned Chocolate Magician Girl.

Kaiba stared at the petite spellcaster his rival had just summoned to the field. The one he was used to seeing Yugi summon. _I guess he kept some of Yugi's cards in his deck after the whole Millennium Ring incident. What are they to each other? And why do I feel ill every time I think about this? Why do I care?_ Kaiba's gaze diverted to his hand, which was shaking slightly.

"Kaiba? Are you sure you're alright? You still look ill. We can postpone the match if you need." Atem called over, having momentarily paused his turn in concern for his opponent.

"He left her for you, didn't he?" Kaiba asked bluntly, his boldness even surprising himself. The colour that had left Kaiba's face appeared across Atem's cheeks.

"Not here nor now, Kaiba." Atem said, his heart starting to hammer as he became slightly flustered at the sudden personal interrogation.

"That's what Wheeler failed to tell me when you were duelling Bakura." Kaiba went on, his eyes glazing over slightly.

"We can talk about this at length later. We are in the middle of a duel, Kaiba." Atem reminded him, clearly recognizing but not understanding the downward spiral Kaiba was starting to descend into. Although Atem did not care who knew about him and Yugi, he would rather not have a duel as important as this one derailed by personal matters.

"It's why you were taking it all so hard. You are…" Kaiba said incredulously his eyes snapping back to those crimson orbs, the pieces falling into place.

"I am moving onto my battle phase." Atem called, as if nothing amiss was going on. "The Dark Magician attacks your Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"What are you doing?!" Kaiba called out as the strange move broke him out of his line of thought. Kaiba's Blue Eyes has more attack points than Atem's Dark Magician. "Have you lost your mind?"

"No Kaiba, but you may lose yours. I discard the Apprentice Illusion Magician from my hand to add 2000 attack points to my Dark Magician! Dark Magic Attack!"

In a burst of dark purple light, the Blue Eyes White Dragon vanished in a shower of sparks. Kaiba's life points dwindled by 1500.

"Now, my Dark Magician Girl will attack you directly!" Atem couldn't believe it. If these two direct attacks landed, Kaiba's life points would be at 0. This duel would be over as soon as it began.

Still wincing slightly from the recent hit, Kaiba finally snapped to his senses. "I activate Emergency Provisions! I send my other facedown cards to the graveyard to increase my life points by 2000!"

Atem's two attacks went through, leaving Kaiba with 900 LP remaining. With a satisfied sigh, Atem looked up from the field.

"Well played. I thought this duel would be over before it even started." Atem said, crossing his arms.

"You underestimate my stamina, Atem. I'm never once and done." Kaiba retorted defiantly. Kaiba looked on at his rival, whose tanned skin still demonstrated some of that rare flush across his cheeks. Kaiba no longer felt ill. That feeling was replaced by an odd mix of frustration and… loss? _Why am I like this?_

"Your turn." Atem said, nodding slightly towards the field.

"Not before you answer my question." Kaiba responded. It wasn't an order, nor a plea. It just was.

Atem nodded once and responded with a single word. "Yes." It was all Kaiba needed to hear.

"I draw." Kaiba said quietly.

The duel ebbed back and forth, life points dwindled as the two perennial rivals traded blow for blow. Atem became increasingly confused at Kaiba's newest strategy, sending his Blue Eyes White Dragons and Blue Eyes Alternative Dragons to the graveyard instead of summoning them to the field.

"What are you up to Kaiba?" Atem muttered as he ended his turn. They were both at 200 LP with no monsters on the field.

Kaiba drew. Upon seeing the card, he started to laugh.

"Are you ready for this? My plan will finally come to fruition! I play Dragon's Mirror!"

"What!" Atem gasped.

"With this card, I fuse my two Blue Eyes White Dragons and my Blue Eyes Alternative White Dragon in my graveyard to form my ultimate monster! Arise, Blue Eyes Alternative Ultimate Dragon!"

As the three-headed behemoth of a dragon appeared before his eyes to the delight of the audience, Atem could sense that this duel was about to be over one way or another. Atem had no monsters on his side of the field and only one face down card. _I still have a chance…_

"The moment has finally come. The moment where you bow to _me_ , Pharaoh! The moment where I reclaim my title that you stole from me!" Kaiba became more manic by the second, his blue eyes gleaming as he gazed lovingly upon his 4500 attack point dragon. He then diverted his gaze to his rival. His heart stopped.

Instead of fear, his rival appeared steadfast and confident. Atem started to chuckle.

"You still haven't learned your lesson, have you?" Atem said quietly, just loud enough for the microphone to pick up.

"Are you still going on about this?! What is this lesson you keep blabbing on about?"

"You've come a long way, Seto Kaiba. You've become more accepting of who you are now and your past. But until you have as much faith in your abilities and deck as I do in mine, you will never succeed against me." Atem murmured.

"Oh shove it, pharaoh!" Kaiba spat. How could one be so arrogant facing down the ultimate dragon of destruction? "Let's see if your faith protects you now! Blue Eyes Alternative Ultimate Dragon, ATTACK HIM DIRECTLY!"

"I activate my trap card!" Atem yelled in response. "Necro fusion!"

"W-what?" It was Kaiba's turn to stop in his tracks.

"I fuse the Dark Magician and Arisen Gaia the Fierce Knight in my graveyard to form…" Atem's smile widened. "Dark Cavalry!"

In a burst of purple light and to rapturous applause, a knight cloaked in darkness atop an armoured steed materialized on the field.

"This card's ability is very special. For every spell or trap card on either field or graveyard, Dark Cavalry gains 100 attack points."

"How… how…" Kaiba sputtered. "That would make it have 4700 attack points?!"

"Yes, it would." Atem smiled. His victory was now assured. "Do you still want to attack?"

Kaiba silently stared at his hand, willing an answer to appear. His gaze fell upon one card. A card he was hoping to not have to use. He grunted in frustration. "I set this card and end my turn."

"Very well." Atem drew. "You put up a remarkable fight as always, Kaiba. But it is now time for me to finish this… Dark Cavalry, attack!"

If this attack landed, Kaiba would lose his remaining life points. _I wish it didn't have to come to this._ Looking somewhat pained as the Dark Cavalry barrelled down towards his dragon lance at the ready, Kaiba cried out wordlessly in frustration before he activated his facedown card.

"I activate final fusion!" Kaiba bellowed. The stadium fell into a hush. Atem took an involuntary step back in shock.

"I… I would have never expected you to have that card in your deck…" Atem muttered, conflicted but all the while impressed. "You really are a remarkable duelist."

"I never thought I'd have to use it. But here we are." Kaiba said bitterly. "When two fusion monsters battle, this card lets me negate the attack and deal damage equal to the monsters' combined attack points to both players simultaneously."

"So this duel ends…" Atem started.

"In a tie." Seto Kaiba finished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you weren't expecting that? I like to try to keep y'all on your toes. But needless to say, you and I both know that there must be a winner, and the final chapter will address this.
> 
> I have to give props for the "eat a dick" quip set to auroblaze and celepom from Tumblr. Their art and comics give me life!
> 
> I'm always down to hear your thoughts – good, bad or otherwise – as it helps me grow as a writer. So if you have a moment, please leave a comment! Until next time!


	8. Dark Renewal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I got a bit distracted by work and my other WIP, The Pine Bluff Duality. I also realized in writing this that it makes more sense to split up the final chapter. Firstly, to avoid a 7000+ word behemoth, and secondly because the tonal shift halfway through warrants it. So here is the real penultimate chapter!
> 
> There will be a winner. But who and at what cost?

_A tie…_

Atem could not believe it. He braced for impact as he was slammed with the combined attacks from the two fusion monsters on the field. Winded and grimacing, he watched as his life points dwindled to zero. Blinking at the dust settled, his eyes searched for his opponent. They found their mark.

Kaiba looked just like he had during the entirety of this duel – an odd combination of ill and frustrated. His breathing was laboured, face pale, and a fine tremble seemed to plague his hands. Kaiba's eyes had bittered considerably and those icy blue eyes now bore into his with noticeable disdain.

"Kaiba…" Atem started. However, any hope of a meaningful conversation was promptly dashed by the booming voice of the announcer over the speakers above.

"I can't believe it! A tie! This is unheard of in the later rounds of a professional tournament! Today, history has been made!"

The crowd clapped and hollered, showing their gratitude for the intense match. Atem tried again.

"Kaiba, I –" he called, his microphone amplified voice barely carrying over the noise of the crowd.

"Save it. I did what needed to be done. We are by no means through, pharaoh." Came Kaiba's cool response. Speakers once again blared overhead.

"Well ladies and gentlemen, we had to dig deep into the rule books for this one. In the event of a tie, the duelists have five minutes to regroup before having a second, no-holds barred, sudden death match. Now's a great time to refresh your beverages and grab more popcorn, because in five minute's time, these two phenoms will clash again!" the faceless announcer cried with gusto, prompting another round of deafening noise from the crowd. Atem's attention was redirected back to Kaiba whom had nearly made it offstage already. With a small sigh, he turned to take his own leave.

As the once pharaoh stepped across the threshold, he was greeted by the stunned face of Yugi who had watched the entire duel from the feeds backstage.

"Final fusion…" Yugi muttered with a mixture of shock and awe. "A desperate move, but ultimately a brilliant one. Kaiba really didn't want to lose. I can't believe…"

Atem hummed absentmindedly in response as Yugi eagerly continued his post-duel analysis. Meanwhile, Atem replayed the entire duel over in his mind. His attention was not on the cards played, but rather, they were on his opponent. Kaiba's behaviour had left him utterly perplexed. His rival seemed pained, confused and frustrated from the outset… and was even more preoccupied with him than usual. Most interestingly, their conversation had even deviated towards the personal, which was so unlike Kaiba.

"Yugi?"

"And the way he played that… hmm? Yeah, Atem?" Yugi's attention snapped back to the here and now. Amethyst eyes were once again on his partner.

"Kaiba seemed preoccupied with me the entire duel… even more so than usual."

After a brief look of confusion, recognition crossed Yugi's face. Yugi hummed. "I do love you, but sometimes you are oblivious, Atem."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Well, I think Kaiba may have… a thing… for you."

"A thing?"

"Yeah, we've suspected it for a while now." Yugi said with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck somewhat awkwardly. "I think he, well, has feelings for you. The, er, romantic kind."

"R-romantic?"

"Well, 'romantic' may be a poor choice of word." Yugi continued on, his eyes drifting up towards the ceiling in thought. "It's probably just lust knowing Kaiba. I mean, I don't blame him. Have you looked in the mirror lately? Your arms alone could make anyone swing your way."

Ignorant to the backhanded compliment and ignoring Yugi's brief chuckle, Atem continued to try to wrap his mind around this puzzling turn of events. "Kaiba wants me…?"

"It sure seems that way."

Atem went silent for a couple of moments, lost in his thoughts and unsure how to proceed. Amongst his confusion, a troubling thought bubbled up into his consciousness. "How… how are you so calm about this?" Atem worried, quickly realizing what sort of place this whole situation put Yugi in.

Yugi laughed. "Well, I'm not the jealous type, Atem. And I trust you. Implicitly." A small smile crept onto his as he gazed at Atem affectionately. Atem's heart started doing flips in his chest.

"You are _incredible_ , Yugi." He could not stop his own smile from forming. "And a better person than I…"

"Oh, stop." Yugi said with a dismissive wave of his hand, a blush starting to form on his cheeks. "We can talk about this later. You have… ah, one minute until they call you back on stage!"

"Oh, right." 

"Now, enough messing around. Go!" Yugi said with a playful wink before pulling Atem in for a quick peck. "And beat him properly this time, you hear?"

* * *

The lights were trained on Atem as he made the familiar walk. His opponent had already taken his mark on stage. To Atem's relief, Kaiba's turmoil seemed to have passed and he was back to his old self: arrogant with a strong undercurrent of annoyed. Kaiba cocked his head slightly as Atem once again approached him. His body language issued a dare. The once pharaoh responded in kind.

"There will be no tie this time." Kaiba spoke, looking down his nose at Atem.

"I expect nothing less." Atem said lowly. "Good luck, Kaiba." He held out his hand. They shook.

"I won't need it." Kaiba returned haughtily. Atem moved to his mark.

"DUEL!"

"I use polymerization to fuse the three Blue Eyes White Dragons in my hand! Come out, Neo Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

Atem's hair whipped around violently from the wind as he watched Kiaba's summon in awe. Kaiba managed to summon his ultimate monster on his first turn. _He certainly isn't holding anything back this time._ He remarked internally as his eyes drifted up the dragon's shining scales to meet the soulless eyes of the three headed dragon.

Kaiba laid a face down. "I end my turn!"

Atem drew. He smiled slightly at the cards in his hand. He had a response that was sure to change the momentum. "I play Dark Magic Veil! For the price of 1000 life points, I can now summon this from my hand!"

A glowing seal appeared on the field beneath Atem's feet. In a flash of violet light, the Dark Magician appeared. Kaiba laughed.

"That won't do anything against my Neo Blue Eyes!" Kaiba crowed in response.

"He can't, but this can." Atem responded cheekily. He inserted a card into a slot in his duel disk. "Thousand Knives! If I control the Dark Magician, I can now destroy a monster of my choosing!"

A thousand gleaming knifes apparated around the Dark Magician, tips locked on Kaiba's dragon. They flew straight and true towards their target.

"Stop! I play Dark Sacrifice! With this I can negate your Thousand Knives if I send a level 3 or lower dark monster from my deck to the graveyard!" Kaiba exclaimed as he rifled though his deck pay his cost.

Atem grimaced as his knives disappeared in a thousand sparks. "Not bad, Kaiba. I play three facedowns and end my turn."

"Draw!" Kaiba all but yelled. Every nerve ending was on fire from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He could hear his pulse ringing in his ears. Atem was on the ropes but he knew it was not over yet. He needed to play his next few turns carefully. His first task: remove the Dark Magician. "Since you failed to destroy my Neo Blue Eyes, it can now attack! Neo Blue Eyes, attack the Dark Magician!"

The characteristic neutron stream erupted from the ultimate dragon's mouths, engulfing Atem and the Dark Magician. However, when the dust settled, Kaiba reeled.

"How did that not work?!"

"I activated the trap Time Chain! It saves my Dark Magician and removes both monsters involved from play for the next two turns." Atem explained, eyes lighting up with excitement.

Kaiba grunted in frustration and played a facedown. Upon seeing his facedown card materialize on the field, Kaiba felt a strange sensation wash over him again. _Why do I feel like I've had this duel before?_

Meanwhile on the other side of the stage, Atem chuckled lowly. He was really starting to enjoy himself. He loved a challenge and he could always count on Kaiba to push him to his limits. He drew.

"I summon Celtic Guardian of Noble Arms and using his special ability, I can summon the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian! Now, attack him directly!"

Kaiba braced for impact. His life points dwindled to 4500. The swords from Atem's monsters, although just enhanced holograms of his own creation, still smarted against his skin as they traced along his own invisible scars. Scars that Atem had inflicted upon him.

_I will not lose. Not this time._

Kaiba summoned Vorse Raider to the field silently and issued his attack in one fluid motion. Celtic Guardian dissolved into sparks. Atem's life points were now at 4500 to meet his own.

_I will make him feel my pain._

A facedown. Turn ended.

"Two turns have now passed, and Dark Magician has been released from the ties that bind him!" Atem smirked. "From my hand, I play Magical Dimension! This allows me to send my Celtic Guardian of Noble Arms to the graveyard to summon the Dark Magician Girl!"

The Dark Magician's apprentice appeared in all of her glory to Atem's side of the field. "And with Magical Dimension's secondary effect, I can destroy your Vorse Raider! Then, Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, attack him directly!"

"Thank you for doing that for now I can respond with this!" Kaiba activated his trap. "Induced Explosion! I now destroy Time Chain to release my Neo Blue Eyes before the start of my turn! Call off your attack!" Kaiba yelled triumphantly. His triumph was quickly tempered by another wave of déjà vu.

Atem gritted his teeth. He needed to figure something out and fast. Thankfully, he still had a few tricks left. End of turn. Kaiba drew.

"Attack him, Neo Blue Eyes!"

"Not so fast, Kaiba! I play Dimension Reflector!"

Kaiba's heart stopped.

"With this, I banish my two monsters. Now, I can create a mirror monster with the same attack points as your Neo Blue Eyes! But that's not the best part, for you see…" Atem's smirk grew wide. "I can now deal you direct damage equal to my new monster's attack points!"

A column of light erupted from the enchanted mirror, aimed squarely at Kaiba's chest. As he watched the burst of energy surge forward to envelop him, Kaiba reflected upon this moment. A moment exactly like he had against the AI version of his perennial rival many years ago. Oh, how he had planned out each of these duels meticulously, using his cards to find and exploit the cracks in Atem's plays in an effort to best him.

But for what?

Ever since the pharaoh had returned, the only thing Kaiba had cared about was his revenge. The reclamation of his title. His victory. And if he was being honest with himself, he had been chasing this aspiration incessantly for the last twelve years, consciously or not. Twelve years of his life blindered, fixated on one goal.

His thoughts drifted from his ambition to the man facing him down. In the last few weeks, he had become something beyond a rival. He had been privy to the once pharaoh riding his highs during their duel. Conversely, he also watched the same man crumble at his lowest when Yugi was captured by the shadows. Kaiba realized that the specter of the pharaoh that loomed over him, arrogant and mighty, that he had built up in his mind was just that. A specter. His eyes were now clear to see the man that stood in front of him. A man he now realized he viewed as his friend. A pompous, somewhat mesmerizing and frustrating friend.

Kaiba felt oddly at peace. He knew how this would end.

"Not so fast, phar—Atem." Kaiba's voice softened. "I play the trap Enhanced Counter. The damage you are trying to deal to me gets added to my monster's attack points instead."

 _A perfect response_. Atem blinked. _He thought of everything…_

"I now attack you directly." The words were said slowly, his inflection almost morose. The fire behind Kaiba's eyes had burnt down to blackened coals.

Once again, three headed dragon's blast was fired directly at Atem.

"K-Kaiba." Atem stammered. Kaiba's change in demeanour flung him into uncertainty. _What is Kaiba playing at?_

"Play your card, Atem." Kaiba stood serenely across the stage.

_How does he know?_

He did not have any more time to think. The blast was about to connect. A button was pressed silently, activating Atem's trap. A set of magical cylinders appeared in front of him, accepting the stream of lightning and redirecting the attack back to Kaiba. Kaiba's form disappeared as he was enveloped by energy, stirring up a cloud of dust in its wake.

Atem stared across the stage in anticipation. _Did it connect? Or did he find a way to turn the tables once again? Was this all some sort of play?_ Atem thought to himself, a bead of sweat rolling down from his temple. His jaw ached from gritting his teeth. He was now out of responses. Two things were certain in his mind no matter the outcome of this duel; one, he had done everything he could do. And two, Kaiba had once again proved himself as one of the worthiest opponents he had ever faced.

The dust settled, and Kaiba's form was once again revealed. He stood motionless with his arms hung at his sides. His eyes were shaded from view, but Atem was preoccupied by a different feature on Kaiba's face. A small smile graced the taller man's lips. A small, yet sad smile.

"You win." Came the uncharacteristically small response from Atem's opponent.

"I win? You…"

The crowd erupted, voicing their appreciation for the historic duel they had just witnessed. Kaiba strode across the stage to speak with him face to face. AS he approached, Kaiba clasped a hand around the microphone on his collar so they could speak privately, prompting Atem to do the same. Now face to face, Kaiba spoke openly and with a candor that Atem did not think the CEO was capable of.

"I did everything I could. All of my simulations. All of my work. But it still came to the same result. I thought if it ever came to this outcome again, I'd be angry. Enraged. Decimated. But now that I'm in this moment, I feel a sense of… peace." Kaiba said softly. "It has taken me all of these years and this very duel to show me that even though I may have lost, I'm not leaving empty handed. Our rivalry is its own reward. And through getting to duel you, I've gotten to… know myself better. You're the best I've ever had. And for that, I thank you."

Kaiba stuck out his hand. Atem clasped it in stunned silence.

"I look forward to besting you in the future. Although, I will try to be a bit more… mature about it from now on." If Atem had not known any better, the could have sworn that Kaiba sounded almost sounded apologetic. It brought a smile to his face.

"I look forward to it, Kaiba. I really do."

Kaiba turned to take his leave, but after a few steps, he turned back to look over his shoulder at his rival once more. "I forgot to mention something. Kaiba Corp. is always looking to hire talent like you and your _partner_ should you ever be interested." Seto added casually before departing the stage, his long white coat billowing ever so majestically in his wake.

Atem felt a slight flush creep up his neck at his rival's inflection on 'partner'. Shaking his head slightly, Atem made his way off the stage. He still did not fully comprehend what just went on, but his own soul was soothed seeing that Kaiba had finally found some peace amongst his inner chaos.

_And with that I have also found mine._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated! Until next time, (which will hopefully be sooner than last time haha) I hope you stay safe and healthy out there, everyone.


	9. Eternal Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is almost four months overdue. Whoops. I got horribly distracted by [murderers and pine trees](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23580154). Anyways, here we go, the final installment of Supremacy! Let’s see who wins this tournament…

As expected, Yugi’s semi-final duel went on without a hitch and he emerged victorious. After receiving a quick congratulations from Atem and Joey, Yugi excused himself to find a quiet, private place to further prepare. This was easier said than done. He quickly realized that there was not much peace and quiet to be found with one of the most anticipated duels of the decade looming on the horizon. Yugi eventually found a room somewhat removed from the general commotion where he could ready himself for what is to come. It still was not great. There was still a lot of foot traffic in the area, with the occasional backstage worker entering the room to grab equipment.

As Yugi scanned through his deck to make some last minute adjustments, he felt his heart start to hammer. He was excited to show Atem just how far he had come in the years since they had last truly duelled in a no holds barred match. In all of their casual duels outside of the tournament, he had held back, trying new strategies against his other half to varying degrees of success. Now was the time to stop pulling his punches. He wanted to give Atem the duel of his life. A small, excited smile grew as he exchanged a few cards out of his deck for others that were sure to put Atem on his toes. As he was debating the merit of adding a second mirror force into his deck, Yugi was snapped back to reality by a soft knock on the door.

“Come in.” Yugi called out absentmindedly to the stage hand. He continued to look at his deck, willing himself to focus on the task at hand until he saw a shadow cross his cards.

“What are you going to put in the Gold Sarcophagus this time?” A familiar smooth, deep voice broke through Yugi’s concentration.

“Atem! You’re not supposed to see my deck! Not on the day of the duel…” Yugi said, flustered at the unexpected intrusion. He quickly rearranged his deck back into a neat brick on the small table in front of him.

“Don’t worry, I only saw one card.” Atem smiled, extending his hand out towards Yugi. Although a little puzzled by the gesture, Yugi accepted the offered hand and was gently pulled to his feet by the once pharaoh.

“What are you doing here?”

Atem took a step closer, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “I just wanted to wish you the best before our duel, a _ibou._ ”

Yugi blinked. Something was not quite right. That smile… “You’re… up to something.” Yugi said warily as he took a step back, his amethyst eyes narrowing slightly.

“Me? Whatever would I be up to?” Atem said innocently as he took another step towards Yugi. In response, Yugi took another step back.

“I know you. That smile gives you away. You’re up to something…” Yugi said, unable to keep a small smile from his own face as he took a step back. He suddenly understood what was happening.

“Atem!” Yugi blurted in weak protest, starting to laugh.

Atem’s smile had grown into a mischievous smirk. He took his final step closer to Yugi, who was now pressed up against the wall behind him. Their bodies barely an inch apart, Yugi suppressed a shiver as Atem slowly traced his fingertips down Yugi’s bare arms. As Atem intertwined their fingers, he leaned in closer, his warm breath teasing on Yugi’s neck. Yugi felt his own breathing quicken, a flush settling on his cheeks as a hand released his. It encircled his waist, pulling him close.

“Are… are…” The featherlight kisses Atem now painted Yugi’s neck with were causing his thoughts to short circuit. “Are you trying to knock me off my game by… seducing me?”

“Hmmm perhaps.” Atem murmured, his voice low and husky in the way he knew drove Yugi wild. He raised his face so they could meet eye-to-eye. “I need to level the playing field somehow, _King of Games._ ” Atem drew out the title, rolling off his tongue like he was greeting his own revered and beloved king. Yugi closed the gap, his lips finding Atem’s almost instinctively as he pulled his partner in close.

When they finally broke apart for air, Atem leaned in to rest his forehead against Yugi’s. “Did it work?”

Yugi laughed breathlessly in response and pulled Atem in close for another kiss. However, they were quickly interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Yugi Muto! Five minutes until the duel! We need you in two!” Called a man from the other side of the door. Breaking the kiss, Yugi blew out a puff of air in mild vexation, causing his golden bangs to dance.

“I guess that’s my cue to leave.” Atem sighed, hesitantly pulling himself away from the embrace of his _hikari._ “Good luck.”

“I’m not the one that’s going to need luck. I think your plan backfired. You’re the one looking a little dopey there, Atem.” Yugi grinned at his partner who was indeed looking a little hot and bothered.

Atem chuckled. After one last almost longing look, he begrudgingly walked out of the room.

* * *

Yugi made the familiar walk through the backstage labyrinth, his duel disk fastened to his wrist and his deck in its holster. He had been looking forward to this duel for some time and now that the moment had come, it started to feel surreal. Yugi paused his stride at the edge of the stage, nervously awaiting his cue. _Why am I nervous?_ Yugi asked himself. Sure, this duel had been widely touted as a holy grail of duels, but to Yugi, it was just another duel with his other self. If anything, he should be less nervous than usual. Unlike any of the other opponents he had faced in this tournament, he knew this one inside and out. Yet for some reason, he still felt unsettled.

Before Yugi could further descend into introspection, a voice sounded from overhead.

“And now! The duel we have all been waiting for! The finals match is upon us, and might I say, this may be one of the most historic match ups of all time! These two duelists have often been mentioned in the same sentence, on the same side. But for the first time, they will face off against each other!”

 _The first time…_ Yugi thought. His brow knitted. _It’s not the first time…_

The announcer’s voice faded away as Yugi felt his heart start to sink. That nervous unease swelled as memories he had pushed aside for years started to flood back into his mind. An expansive room with ornate hieroglyphics carved into the walls. A large carved stone sarcophagus in the center of the room. A wall that seemed to stand apart from the rest. A wall that he would soon realize was a door. The heavy bag on Yugi’s shoulders cutting into his skin despite his coat as he walked up towards the stone, each step more difficult than the last. Still, he walked on, pushed by destiny and driven by duty towards a bittersweet fate.

Push. Yugi felt himself being pushed again, this time out onto the stage by a stagehand. His feet felt just as heavy as they did that day. He made his strides, a weight that was once on his shoulders now solely on his mind. The announcer continued to speak, the words faintly registering but their meaning was lost upon his deaf ears and far away mind. His eyes smarted as they were assaulted by a spotlight trained on him. Despite the heaviness settling into his bones, he continued forward, the stage beneath his boots feeling more like the roughened stone of that room in Egypt than the glossy floor of the Kaiba Land Stadium.

As his eyes finally adjusted, he realized that he had arrived at his mark. There he stood, his attention solely on his thoughts. That is until another spotlight appeared, illuminating a familiar figure. As his opponent crossed into the light, Yugi feared his heart would tear in two.

Atem strode across the stage just how Yugi expected him to. Shoulders square and chin held high. His characteristic, confident regal air cloaked him while his gold jewelry shimmered beautifully in the stadium lights. His dark blue coat with golden trim billowed out behind him. _The jacket was returned to him…_ Yugi quietly remarked to himself, resisting the urge to clutch his chest as his heart torted.

Each step Atem took closer to him seemed to slow time. He watched each footfall land as vivid memories of the ceremonial duel played in his mind. Each card they had played that day was another step closer to their destiny. A destiny that both wished would not have to be fulfilled but knew it must be. Yugi recalled standing across from his other self that fateful day. He appeared a little older now, but just like before, Yugi saw that same confident smirk as Atem’s face came into view.

Yugi felt something brush against his consciousness. Again. And again. Yugi paid the prods no mind, letting the gentle brushes continue unimpeded. His mind was elsewhere.

_Yugi._

A thought that was not his own broke through the flood of painful memories and Yugi became aware of his surroundings once again. His eyes were greeted by an unexpected sight. The confident smile had faded from Atem’s face and was replaced with a quiet concern. In his partner’s eyes, he saw something familiar, thinly veiled but certainly there. Yugi finally acknowledged Atem’s nudges. When he opened the link, Yugi felt his own pain mirrored from the other side.

_These memories…_

_I had wondered… I can’t help it either,_ aibou _. You are not alone._

Feeling his own partner’s pain seemed to shift something in Yugi. The unwanted recollection of the final moments of their last duel were halted abruptly as he shifted his attention onto Atem. His own pain did not matter. He could not bear another moment of the other’s pain.

Wordless emotions started flooding the link, and a comforting warmth was shared from Yugi’s side to the other. He sensed a shift in Atem as he relaxed, closing his eyes momentarily.

_I thought it was time I returned the favour._

Those crimson eyes opened once again and softened as they focused on his face. _Thank you._

“Are you ready?” Atem said aloud, severing the mental link in preparation. He stuck his hand out.

“If you mean ready to hand you your ass, you know it.” Yugi responded, his nerves abating and eyes twinkling. The game was on. He accepted the hand.

Atem laughed. “Oh really?”

The two selves broke apart and took their marks.

“Let’s duel!” They shouted in unison.

Atem drew his cards, fanning them out in his hand like he had so many times before. Other than the Gold Sarcophagus, he had no idea what was in Yugi’s deck. Throughout the tournament, Yugi had kept his opponents on their toes by rotating between three separate decks between matches. Atem suspected that is what he had done right before the duel. Throughout the times that they had played sprawled out on their bedroom floor or at the kitchen table, Yugi had often used his Magician Girls deck, so he doubted that that Yugi was playing that deck. It would be too obvious and Atem was too familiar with it. Yugi also had his hybrid magnet warriors and gadget deck, but he had been using that one for the majority of the tournament. It would also be too obvious of a choice. That left him with only one deck remaining: Silent Magician. Atem smiled. He knew what he needed to do.

“I place three cards face down and end my turn.”

The crowd murmured as Yugi stared across the floor at Atem. _Not even a single monster summoned? He left himself wide open for attack. Now why would he do that?_

Yugi furrowed his brow at his hand. Even though he knew Atem’s dueling style like the back of his hand, he was still wary. Atem always seemed to be able to adapt to whatever his opponent tossed his way, confidently executing his plays and building his bluffs masterfully. Yugi knew that this would be an uphill battle, requiring careful plays to prevent Atem from taking the momentum all for himself.

Thankfully he had brought the right deck.

“I discard one card in order to summon out the Apprentice Illusion Magician!” Yugi started, his even call ringing out in the packed stadium.

The Apprentice Illusion Magician materialized, looming in front of Atem’s eyes. He stared on, waiting for the next move.

“My magician’s effect activates! I will now add a Dark Magician from my deck to my hand!”

Atem’s eyes widened as he watched his partner collect the card in question from his deck. _Dark Magician? Is he…_

Even though they had both had agreed to keep the mental link closed during their duel, it was as if his _aibou_ could still read his mind. Yugi caught his eye with a grin, flashing the Dark Magician card towards Atem before adding it to his hand. Without hesitation, he pulled another card out from his hand.

“I tribute the Apprentice Illusion Magician to summon the Silent Magician!”

Sparks flew as the Silent Magician took the stage, her navy robes swaying ever so slightly in an unseen breeze.

 _So this deck is not identical to mine… it has it’s own twist. His own twist._ Atem thought, his chest swelling with a flattered and enamoured sort of pride. However, the admiration was short lived, quickly quelled as he remembered why he was here. As amazing of a duelist Yugi was, he was not about to let him win.

 _With the three cards in his hand, Silent Magician would have 2500 Attack points…_ Atem mused. Identical to the Dark Magician.

Yugi quietly laid a face down. “I’m moving onto my battle phase.”

“Not so fast, my trap card activates!” One of Atem’s face downs flipped up, revealing Magician’s Navigation. “With this, I can summon a Dark Magician from my hand and a level 7 or lower dark spellcaster from my deck!”

The Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl stormed the field to rapturous applause.

 _Ahhh so I was right, Magician Navigation was one of his face downs._ Yugi thought. _It’s no matter. I have a plan._

“I play a quick play spell from my hand! Silent Burning! During the battle phase, we both draw cards until our hands have six cards.” Yugi relayed as he reached for his deck. Atem hummed his respect. That card was a smart play. By adding additional cards to his hand, Yugi was able to increase his Silent Magician’s attack points even more. With the newly drawn cards in Yugi’s hand, his Silent Magician now has 4000 attack points.

“Alright Silent Magician, attack the Dark Magician!”

A burst of light emanated from her staff, beams blending to form a blinding column of light just as it hit the Dark Magician square in the chest. Atem grit his teeth, his ace monster crumbling in the wake of the hit.

Yugi watched Atem’s life points drop to 2500. It was strange. Usually, Atem would not let his Dark Magician fall that easily. He always pulled out all of the stops to protect that spellcaster unless…

_He has a plan._

“I activate my other trap, Eternal Soul!” Atem called. “I use it’s effect to resurrect the Dark Magician from my graveyard!”

Yugi swallowed thickly. _That’s_ why he allowed the Dark Magician to be destroyed! Besides bringing back his monster, that trap also protects his Dark Magician from being destroyed by card effects too.

“I set one card face down and end my turn.” Yugi finished, allowing the spotlight to shine back onto his partner.

“My turn, I draw!” Atem looked at his pull. It was the Chocolate Magician Girl, one of Yugi’s cards. The corners of his mouth twitched. Even though they no longer shared a body, both of them still carried a part of the other with them. That part was always there, like it had been in their duels together all of those years ago.

Atem raised his eyes to look at Yugi as he announced “I summon the Chocolate Magician Girl!”

The duel took off from there. Yugi’s Silent Magician was eventually destroyed by a buffed and indestructible Dark Magician. However, because of her destruction, Yugi was able to summon his Silent Magician Lv8 to the field. As Atem slowly chipped away at Yugi’s life points over the next few turns, his competitive instincts kicked into high gear. Yugi was putting up a good fight, but it was time that he ended this duel once and for all.

“Dark Magic attack!” Atem called as his fusion monster, the Dark Magicians landed a direct hit on Yugi’s freshly summoned Dark Magician, leaving the amethyst eyed duelist with a mere 300 LP remaining.

Atem could hear Yugi’s grunt ring through the stadium as he was buffeted by the blast. When the dust settled, Atem looked towards his partner. Despite his life points being a paltry show against Atem’s 2100, Yugi still stood firm with a gleam in his eye that Atem respected and loved. Yugi was not going to back down. Atem would have to pry the crown out of Yugi’s hands if he wanted it.

 _Now what are you going to do,_ aibou _?_

On the other side of the stage, Yugi drew. He went still for a second, eyes fixed on the card he just drew. This card was exactly what he needed. He glanced over at Atem, who was confidently and almost daringly staring him down.

_Atem must think that he has this in the bag… time to show him what I can really do._

Yugi looked out to his baren field, which only contained a solitary facedown in his spell or trap zone. Usually he would be on edge with a nearly empty field, but not this time.

“From my hand,” Yugi started, “I activate Twin Twisters by discarding for cost!”

Atem let out a groan.

“I choose to destroy your Eternal soul!”

As the trap card vanished, Atem watched as all of his monsters did too. The collective gasp from the crowd was not lost on the two duelists.

“High risk, high reward. When that card is destroyed, I need to destroy all of my monsters.” Atem murmured. “Well done, _aibou_.”

Yugi did not smile just yet. This was not the end of his play. Although Atem was now out of monsters, he still had two face downs that could be the nidus of his comeback. Yugi needed to deal with them too.

“Atem, you’ve fought well. But here’s the moment where I show you exactly what I can do.”

Atem’s breath caught in anticipation and a shiver ran down his spine at the gravitas in his partner’s voice. “Oh?”

“I play Magicalized Fusion. I remove Berry Magician Girl, Lemon Magician Girl, Apple Magician Girl, Silent Magician and Silent Magician Lv8 in my graveyard from play in order to summon…” Yugi threw down his final card with a flourish. White circles imbedded with symbols used for incantations appeared on the stadium floor. From within, a solitary monster emerged, cloaked in a beam of amber light. The spellcaster’s navy robes whipped around as the dust settled, its golden trim dancing in the light. “Quintet Magician!”

It was in this moment Atem knew he was done. He shook his head slightly in astonishment. Yugi had not summoned this monster this entire tournament. In fact, Atem did not even know that his partner possessed such a powerful card. 4500 attack, 4500 defence. But most of all…

“I activate his effect!” Yugi called. “When Quintet Magician is summoned using five spellcasters with different names, he can destroy every card on my opponent’s field!”

The spellcaster raised his staff and flooded the stadium with a brief, yet almost blinding light. Atem watched through his fingers as his face down cards were destroyed. Yugi had done it.

“Quintet Magician, attack him directly!”

As the final blow enveloped him, Atem was filled with a sort of peace he had not felt in quite some time. Time and time again Yugi proved to be more capable than anyone would expect him to be. That is, anyone except for Atem.

Although he had seen the results of Yugi’s inner strength too many times now to count now, he was still forever in awe. His _aibou_ ’s heart and courage were unparalleled and he was reminded once again just how lucky he was to have him in his life. A small smile graced Atem’s face as the warmth in his chest spread, his heart overflowing. He hated to lose, but if he had to, he would want it to be to Yugi.

The dust cleared and Atem once again saw Yugi, standing across the stage like some sort of vision. Confliction briefly flashed across Yugi’s features, but it quickly cleared upon seeing Atem’s beaming face.

Thunderous applause sounded and the announcer started his speech, but neither man could hear a word. Their focus was solely devoted to each other.

As Yugi crossed the stage, eyes and smile fixed squarely on him, Atem’s heart threatened to burst. As waves of love and pride washed over him, he opened their mental link for the first time since this duel started to communicate what words could not do justice. He watched his partners shoulders shake in response, an unheard chuckle as Yugi stopped in front of him, beaming bright as he stuck his hand out for a formal shake. This would not do for Atem. With a rumbling chuckle, Atem wrapped his arms around Yugi in a fierce hug, lifting the newly re-coronated King of Games off his feet.

The sound of Yugi’s laughter in his ear was the most beautiful thing Atem had ever heard.

* * *

It took Domino City several days to recover from the Starlight Showdown tournament, but it took even longer for Yugi and Atem to recuperate. Whirlwind press conferences and interviews were thrust upon the King of Games and the once pharaoh. The whole world wanted their own quote or sound byte from the winner of what was now one of the largest and most notorious Duel Monsters tournaments ever held. Even though he had gone through something similar in the past with Battle City, Yugi still felt quite abashed and somewhat underprepared for his moment in the spotlight. Although he was granted one irreplaceable comfort. During all of his interviews, Atem remained nearby, ever so supportive.

Thankfully, the two selves started to experience a reprieve once the press had their fill a week or so after their win. However, the slow down in general interest still did not stop them from getting ambushed at the market or on campus. The classes and tutorials Yugi was a teaching advisor for were often hard to settle even after the media attention started to fade. Even his often stern dissertation supervisor asked sheepishly asked for an autograph on his first day back.

As for Atem, after receiving an abundance of support from Yugi, he finally decided to talk with Kaiba about that job offer. As he walked towards the Kaiba Corp. headquarters, he could not help but chuckle to himself. If he did indeed take this job, how would it be working for the man who was often the main source of contention in his life? Due to Kaiba’s hubris, many of his plans and endeavours to save the world and his friends were nearly derailed at the cost of many lives. The man’s ego knew no bounds, and that had certainly not changed in the years Atem had resided in the afterlife. It was hard enough to deal with Kaiba’s ego during their duels, and it may only get worse should he decide to take this job offer. There was one comfort though that eased his doubts. By the end of the Starlight Showdown tournament, they had seemed to reach a mutual understanding that had only existed in a fragile state before this.

He did not have much more time to ponder, as his feet had carried him far enough. Now standing outside the large glass sliding doors of the Kaiba Corp. main entrance, his doubt fully abated. In its place, a thrill had taken hold, tingling like electricity across his mind. This would be a challenge, and Atem was never known to back down from one. With a confident smirk, he entered the building.

* * *

That evening, Yugi stumbled off the bus and back towards the game shop. It had been another long day on campus, but he had finally made decent headway on his dissertation. Although as exciting as that was, all he wanted to do was to become one with the couch, nestled up in the arms of his boyfriend. Despite his weariness coming to a head, his solitary desire drove his tired feet to persevere. Finally, he was home and fumbling with the lock to the private residence behind the game shop.

“Hey Atem!” Yugi called from the doorway, swinging his brown leather backpack off his shoulder and throwing it unceremoniously in the corner.

“Oh, Yugi!” Came the mildly surprised call from beyond the stairs. “I thought you were not going to be home until later.”

“Ah, I was, but honestly this week has been just so long. I need a break.” Yugi explained as he kicked off his boots. With each step of his socked feet up the stairs, his senses started to perk up. The faint snaps and sizzles of frying met his ears. The air became thick with the savoury smells of sautéed vegetables mingled with sweet teriyaki notes. It smelled absolutely wonderful.

“Atem, you’re not…” Yugi murmured as he entered the kitchen.

He was.

Atem turned away from the stove, placing the wooden spoon he was holding onto a rest. Pots and pans sat on every burner, their steam mingling and coalescing in the air. Several cutting boards were strewn across the countertops, with carrot peelings and mangled scraps of bell pepper still laying on their surface. The nearly two dozen containers of sauces and spices strewn about in no apparent rhyme or reason completed the tableau of chaos.

Standing amongst the madness was its creator, looking every bit the artistic mastermind with abstract smudges of red and brown garnishing his ‘Kiss the Kuriboh’ apron. Crimson eyes met his with equal parts delight and apprehension.

“You did this all for me?” Yugi murmured.

“You’ve had a busy week and I just wanted to do something nice for you.” Atem responded with that small, attentive smile that set Yugi’s heart aflutter. Yugi started to cross the kitchen floor, but before he reached Atem, the sounds of out of unrestrained sizzling brought him momentarily back to reality.

“You might want to get that…” He eyed the pan of gyoza, eyebrows raising slightly in concern as he watched the oil sputter and fly. Now cognizant of Yugi’s stare at the offending pan, Atem muttered something under his breath and moved to turn down the heat, placing a lid over the dumplings. 

When he turned back around, Yugi was already there, pulling him close. As they found one another, Yugi could taste the spices on Atem’s lips. Earthy, robust and warm. So warm. He thought his heart would burst out of his chest as he broke the kiss, pulling away to look Atem in the eye.

“You’ve been sampling the food, haven’t you?” Yugi admonished playfully.

“Well, the cooking show told me it is a must.” Atem explained, his eyebrows raising slightly. “Did you like it?”

“I did. You’re delicious.” Yugi said cheekily, his blush deepening in the heat of the kitchen.

Atem chuckled lowly as he reached around Yugi to roughly push aside a cutting board. In one fluid motion, he gathered Yugi into his arms and boosted him up onto the counter. Yugi’s yelp of surprise became a playful hum as Atem pulled close, his nose brushing up against his in tease.

“Well, how would you like to try the next course then?”

Yugi laughed just as lips met his own. They melted into each other’s arms, savouring the sweet samplings of dessert before dinner. Yugi felt a hand glide across his side to slip under the hem of his untucked button-down shirt, those warm fingers on his almost feverish skin sending paradoxical shivers through his body. Spices danced again on his tongue, as did a name murmured ardently against the lips it belonged to. Yugi encircled Atem’s thighs with his legs, pulling his partner flush against him, eliciting a throaty moan from the chef du jour. Atem’s hands moved down to the small of his back to hold him there, and Yugi could feel why. Before Yugi could figure out exactly what he wanted to do about this, he became aware of an almost acrid note filling the air.

“Uh, Atem?”

“Yes, Yugi?”

“I think you forgot something…”

“Hmm? Oh…” Those crimson eyes widened in shock. With a murmured curse, Atem moved with the grace of a king to remove another pan from the heat. While Atem was preoccupied fighting the almost fire, Yugi hopped off the countertop to join his side.

“How about this? I can help you finish dinner, then afterwards, we can, uh, finish what we started?” Yugi suggested. Atem relaxed noticeably and shot him a grateful smile.

They settled into an easy rhythm, working in synchrony to complete their meal. As Yugi praised Atem on his improved chopping skills, a familiar warmth started to spread within his chest. Even though the kitchen was a disaster, he would not have it any other way. For from amongst the chaos, his life had finally become complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments are greatly appreciated! Good, bad or otherwise, I always love to hear your thoughts! 
> 
> Until next time,  
> -Pants/Bewdofchaos


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